Recipe #24: Zesty Raspberry Loaf

I'm back! After an insanely long departure, I'm trying to get back into the baking groove... So with no further ado!

Ingredients

*2 cups all purpose flour

*1 1/2 tsp baking powder

*1/2 tsp salt

*3/4 cup sugar

*1 egg

*1 1/2 tsp vanilla

*3 tbsp vegetable oil

*1 tbsp orange zest (or lime or lemon)

*3/4 cup milk

*1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and lightly grease 8x4 loaf pan.

2. In a medium bowl, mix together flour, powder and salt.

3. In a large bowl, mix together sugar, egg, vanilla, oil and orange zest until smooth. Mix in half of the flour mixture into the large bowl, and mix in all the milk. Then add the second half of the dry mixture until just combined.

4. Mix in raspberries and pour batter into pan. Bake for about an hour, or until a tester comes out clean.

Voila! I will try not to let my baking lapse for so long again!

Recipe #15: Lemon & Orange Syrup Cupcakes

Mmm... Lemon to me is the taste of summer. It is absolutely the epitome of sun and breeze. So I tried out these great mini-cupcakes. Makes about 36.

Ingredients

*Just over 1/2 cup butter, chilled and chopped

*1 cup sugar

*2 tsp finely grated lemon zest

*2 tsp finely grated orange zest

*3 eggs

*1/2 milk

*1 1/2 cups self-raising flour

Lemon Syrup

*1 cup superfine sugar

*zest of 1 lemon and 1 orange, thinly sliced

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line mini-muffin holes with paper cases

2. Place the butter, sugar, lemon and orange zests ina saucepan and stir over low heat under the sugar has dissolved. Transfer into a large bowl. Add the eggs, milk, and flour, and beat until just combined.

3. Divide the mixture evenly among the cases. Bake for 15 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Let cool.

4. To make the syrup, place 200ml of water and the sugar in a saucepan over a low heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Add the lemon and orange zests, bring to a boil and simmer, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden and syrupy (approx. 10 minutes).

5. Strain the syrup, reserving the zest. Decorate each cake with some strips of zest and pour a little syrup on top.

Recipe #11: Orange Almond Biscotti

Biscotti!!! I love making Biscotti because it's so easy and yummy. It's also a fantastic gift, especially for the poor student, like myself. I really like this recipe. They taste great and are relatively less bad for you. So check it out!

My plan in the next week is to bake a whole pile of stuff and gift it as prettily as possible. I'm in full Christmas mode, making presents, tags, decorations, etc. I'll attempt to post them, but probably not until after so I don't spill the beans on any of my presents.

Ingredients

*2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

*1 1/4 cups white sugar

*1 pinch salt

*2 teaspoons baking powder

*1/2 cup sliced almonds

*1 tablespoon orange zest

*3 eggs, beaten

*1 tablespoon vegetable oil

*1 teaspoon almond extract (I quadrupled the amount in the original recipe)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a baking sheet.

2. In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, almonds, and orange zest. Make a well in the center and add the eggs, oil, and almond extract. Stir or mix by hand until the mixture forms a ball.

3.Separate dough into 2 pieces and roll each one into a log about 8 inches long. Place logs on prepared baking sheet and flatten so they are about 3/4 inch thick. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes.

4. Cool slightly, and remove from baking sheets. Slice diagonally into 1/2 inch slices with a serrated knife. Set cookies on side back onto the cookie sheet and bake for 20 to 25 more minutes, turning over after halfway. Finished cookies should be hard and crunchy.