Baking on Arshad Siddiqui

Red Velvet Cake

Fri, 15 Sep 2017 13:25:00 +0100

Red Velvet Cake #

A classic, rich and vibrant cake layered with smooth cream cheese frosting.

Ingredients #

Cake:

Plain flour – 250g (sifted)
Salt – ½ tsp
Cocoa powder – 2 tbsp
Unsalted butter – 113g (room temperature)
Granulated white sugar – 300g
Eggs – 2 large
Vanilla extract – 1 tsp
Buttermilk – 240 ml (1 cup)
Red food colouring (liquid) – 2 tbsp
White distilled vinegar – 1 tsp
Baking soda – 1 tsp

Cream Cheese Frosting:
(Use 2/3 or ½ quantity for a lighter frosting layer)

Butterscotch Cake

Sat, 20 May 2017 17:04:00 +0100

Butterscotch Cake #

A rich, flavour-packed cake with layers of caramel icing and creamy frosting, topped with pecans.

Ingredients #

Cake #

Light brown sugar – 2 cups (about 240g)
Butter – 200g
Vanilla – 1 teaspoon
Eggs (medium size) – 2
Plain flour – 2 cups (about 300g)
Baking powder – 1 teaspoon
Baking soda – 1 teaspoon
Salt – ½ teaspoon
Buttermilk – 1 cup
(To make buttermilk: add 1 spoon white vinegar to warm milk and let sit for 5 minutes to curdle)

Caramel Icing #

Light brown sugar – 1½ cups (about 220g)
Plain flour – 1 tablespoon
Salted butter – 60g (divided in 2 parts)
Milk – ¼ cup
Vanilla – 1 teaspoon

Frosting #

Unsalted butter – 300g
Dark brown sugar – 2 cups (about 270g)
Heavy cream – 1 cup
Salt – ½ teaspoon
Cream cheese – 300g
Icing sugar – 2 cups (about 200g)

Garnish #

Pecans (crushed) – 2 cups

Method #

Cake #

Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and flour two 9-inch cake tins.
Cream the butter and sugar in a mixer on medium speed until fluffy.
Add vanilla, then eggs one at a time, beating gently until incorporated.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Add the flour mixture and buttermilk alternately into the batter, starting and ending with flour.
Pour the batter evenly into prepared tins and bake for 25–30 minutes.
Cool the cakes completely before icing.

Caramel Icing #

In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients along with 30g of the butter.
Heat over medium, stirring frequently, and bring to a boil. Let boil for 1 minute.
Remove from heat, add the remaining 30g butter and stir until melted.
Let the mixture cool, stirring occasionally, until it thickens but is still spreadable.
Spread a thin layer over the cooled cake. Allow to set completely before adding frosting.

Frosting #

Beat butter and dark brown sugar until creamy.
Add cream cheese, icing sugar, and salt. Beat until thickened.
Add heavy cream and whip until fluffy and spreadable.
Frost the cake generously.
Pipe additional frosting as desired.
Press chopped pecans onto the sides and garnish the top with pecan halves.

Home | Cake

Naan - I

Fri, 22 Apr 2016 17:07:00 +0100

Soft, fluffy and delicious — perfect alongside curries or grilled dishes. This version is baked rather than made in a tandoor, making it great for home kitchens.

Ingredients #

(Makes 8 small naan breads)

Plain white flour – 375g / 13oz
Baking powder – ¾ teaspoon
Salt – 1½ teaspoons
Full-fat milk – 200ml / 7fl oz
Sugar – 15g / ½oz
Free-range egg – 1 (you will only need half the beaten egg)
Vegetable oil – 2 tablespoons

Recipe #

Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, sugar, and half the beaten egg.
Add the wet mixture to the flour mixture and knead lightly until it forms a soft dough. Avoid overworking.
Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and leave to rest for 15 minutes.
Pour the oil over the rested dough and turn to coat evenly.
Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces.
Roll each piece on a lightly oiled surface into a 9cm / 3½in circle. Optionally stretch into teardrop shapes or roll to 10cm / 4in circles.
Preheat a baking tray in the oven.
Place the naan on the hot tray and bake for 4–5 minutes, turning as needed, until golden and slightly puffed.

Serve warm with curry, chutneys or grilled kebabs.

Mediterranean Chicken Casserole

Thu, 05 Jul 2018 11:49:00 +0100

It’s a simple dish, but packed with flavour and incredibly straightforward to cook. There’s something in this casserole for everyone — the Mediterranean influences like apricots, olives, Ras-el-Hanout and Greek yoghurt come together to create a dish that’s hearty, comforting, and full of oomph.

Ingredients #

Chicken – 1 medium or 8 leg pieces
Lemon – 1
Olive oil
Ginger paste – 1 tsp
Onion – 2 medium
Greek yoghurt – 1 cup
Olives (pitted) – 5–7
Garlic cloves – 5
Small potatoes – 4
Cherry tomatoes – 5
Dried apricots – 5
Almonds – 7–8
Cinnamon stick – 1
Ras-el-Hanout – 3 tsp
Paprika – 1 tsp
Salt – to taste

Recipe #

Marinate the chicken in lemon juice for 5–7 hours.
Soften the apricots by microwaving them in half a cup of water.
Lightly fry the chicken in 2 tbsp olive oil with the cinnamon stick and ginger paste.
Rub some olive oil on the sides of your ovenproof dish.
Transfer the chicken to the oven dish.
Fry the onions and add to the dish.
Add the remaining ingredients: Greek yoghurt, garlic cloves, potatoes, cherry tomatoes, apricots (with water), almonds, ras-el-hanout, paprika, and salt.
Cover with foil and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 1 hour.
Check if the chicken is cooked through. If not, return to the oven for another 15 minutes.
Finally, remove the foil and grill for 5–7 minutes to crisp up the top.

Serve warm with couscous, crusty bread, or simply as is — it’s rich, warming and full of character.

Pineapple and Cherry Cake

Sat, 27 Aug 2016 18:36:00 +0100

Pineapple and Cherry Cake #

A moist and fruity loaf cake made with glace cherries and canned pineapple, perfect for teatime or as a light dessert.

Ingredients #

150 g Glace cherries
227 g Canned pineapple with fruit juice
150 g Softened butter
100 g Light muscovado sugar
2 large Eggs, lightly beaten
200 g Self-raising flour

Recipe #

Preheat the oven to 140°C (fan). Grease and line a loaf tin.
Chop the glace cherries into halves, wash under running water, drain well, and dry on kitchen towel.
Drain the pineapple, reserving 2 tablespoons of the fruit juice. Chop the pineapple and dry it as well.
Toss both the cherries and pineapple pieces lightly in plain flour.
In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar, then add the eggs and flour. Mix until combined.
Fold in the floured fruits and reserved 2 tbsp pineapple juice.
Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a skewer comes out clean.
Cool on a wire rack. Keeps well for a couple of days—if it lasts that long!

For a Larger Cake #

Use the following quantities for a springform tin (2.5x the original):

Date Cheese Cake

Sun, 03 Jul 2016 01:00:00 +0100

Date Cheese Cake #

A creamy, luscious cheesecake topped with sweet dates—perfect for special occasions or an indulgent treat.

Ingredients #

For the base #

75g (3 oz) Digestive biscuits
40g (1½ oz) Butter
25g (1 oz) Demerara sugar

For the filling #

50g (2 oz) Butter, softened
175g (6 oz) Caster sugar
450g (1 lb) Cream cheese (full-fat soft cheese)
25g (1 oz) Plain flour
Juice and grated rind of 1 lemon
3 Eggs, separated
150ml (5 fl oz) Double cream, lightly whipped

For the topping #

150ml (5 fl oz) Double cream, whipped
20 Dates, halved and deseeded
A little Icing sugar (optional)

Recipe #

Lightly grease a 23cm (9 inch) loose-bottomed round cake tin. Line the sides with a strip of baking parchment, folding and snipping the bottom edge so it fits neatly. Place a parchment circle on the base.
Preheat the oven to 160°C.
Crush the digestive biscuits in a bag using a rolling pin. Melt the butter in a pan, add crushed biscuits and demerara sugar. Mix well and press firmly into the tin base. Let it set in a cool place.
In a bowl, beat the softened butter, caster sugar, cream cheese, flour, lemon rind and juice, and egg yolks until smooth.
Fold in the lightly whipped cream.
In a separate bowl, whisk egg whites until stiff (but not dry) and fold gently into the cheese mixture.
Pour the filling over the biscuit base and level the surface.
Halve and deseed the dates. Gently press them into the top of the filling.
Bake for 1 to 1¼ hours until just set.
Turn off the oven and let the cheesecake cool inside for another 1 hour.
Loosen edges with a knife, then remove the cake from the tin and place on a serving plate.
Optional: Spread whipped cream on top and decorate with dates. Dust lightly with icing sugar if desired.

Home | Cake

Coffee Walnut Cake

Fri, 22 Apr 2016 16:26:00 +0100

Coffee Walnut Cake #

A rich and moist coffee-flavoured walnut sponge cake layered with smooth coffee buttercream frosting. Perfect for celebrations or afternoon tea.

Ingredients #

For the sponges: #

340g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
340g caster sugar
250g plain flour
90g walnuts
3 tsp baking powder
6 large eggs
3 tsp instant coffee dissolved in 1.5 tbsp boiling water

For the frosting / topping: #

750g icing sugar
250g unsalted butter
4 tsp instant coffee dissolved in 2 tbsp boiling water
2 tbsp milk
Approx 9 walnut halves for decorating

Equipment Needed #

3 x 20cm round sandwich tins
Baking parchment
Stand mixer or electric hand whisk
Food processor
Offset palette knife
Silicone spatula
Sieve
Kitchen scales
2 x wire cooling racks
Display plate or cake board

Recipe #

Preheat the oven to 180°C / 160°C Fan / Gas Mark 4. Grease and line three 20cm sandwich tins with baking parchment.
Dry fry the walnut halves in a frying pan over medium heat for 5 minutes until aromatic. Set aside to cool.
Beat butter and sugar with an electric whisk until light and creamy. Beat in eggs one at a time. If mixture splits, add a tablespoon of flour and continue mixing.
Fold dissolved coffee into the wet mix.
In a food processor, blitz the flour, baking powder, and cooled walnuts until the nuts are finely ground.
Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture using a silicone spatula, ensuring flour at the bottom is incorporated.
Divide the mixture evenly among the three tins. Smooth the tops with an offset palette knife.
Bake for 23-28 minutes until a cocktail stick inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool in tins briefly before transferring to wire racks.
For the coffee buttercream icing: beat butter until soft, gradually add icing sugar, then mix in dissolved coffee. Add milk if needed to loosen the icing.
Once sponges are cool, level any domed tops with a bread knife.
Assemble the cake by spreading 1/3 of the buttercream on the first sponge layer, then add the second sponge and repeat. Place the top sponge upside down, pressing gently.
Spread remaining icing on the top and decorate with walnut halves.

Enjoy your delicious Coffee Walnut Cake with a fresh cup of coffee or tea!

Victoria Sponge Cake

Fri, 22 Apr 2016 17:13:00 +0100

Victoria Sponge Cake #

A timeless British classic, the Victoria sponge cake is soft, light, and filled with jam and cream — perfect for afternoon tea.

Ingredients #

Eggs – 4
Caster sugar – 225g
Self-raising flour – 225g
Baking powder – 2 teaspoons
Unsalted butter (at room temperature) – 225g
Strawberry or raspberry jam
Whipped double cream

Recipe #

Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C Fan).
Grease and line two 20cm/8in sandwich tins. Lightly coat the sides and base with butter, then line the base with baking paper.
In a large bowl, add eggs, sugar, flour, baking powder, and butter.
Mix until just combined using an electric hand mixer or a wooden spoon. Do not overmix. The batter should drop off a spoon easily.
Divide the mixture evenly between the prepared tins.
Bake on the middle shelf for 25 minutes (check at 20 minutes) until golden and springy to the touch.
Allow the cakes to cool in the tins for a few minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
To assemble:
- Place one sponge layer upside down on a serving plate.
- Spread generously with jam and whipped cream if using.
- Place the second sponge on top, right side up.
- Dust the top with caster sugar before serving.

A perfect centerpiece for any tea table — light, fluffy, and delightfully simple.

Chicken Pie

Tue, 05 May 2020 11:51:00 +0100

Thanks to Saqib for his traditional twist to this delicious Chicken Pie recipe.

Ingredients #

Chicken (boneless, chopped) – 500 gram
Olive oil – 1½ tbsp
Red onion (chopped) – 1
Garlic clove (crushed) – 1
Plain flour – 2 tbsp
Chicken-style stock cubes – 2
Frozen mixed vegetables (Mediterranean) – 2 cups
Thickened cream – ¼ cup
Hot sauce – a few drops
Black pepper – optional
Coriander leaves (chopped) – 2 tbsp (optional)
Shortcrust pastry, partially thawed – 2 sheets
Egg (lightly beaten) – 1
Puff pastry, partially thawed – 1 sheet
Sesame seeds – 2 tbsp

Method #

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan.
Cook the chicken until browned, then set aside.
Add ½ tbsp oil to the pan.
Add chopped onion and garlic; cook, stirring, for 3 minutes.
Return chicken to the pan.
Stir in the flour and cook for a minute.
Add stock cubes and 1 cup cold water.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add mixed vegetables and thickened cream.
Add a few drops of hot sauce and black pepper to taste.
Stir and cook for 3 minutes.
Add chopped coriander leaves if using.
Preheat the oven to 190°C.
Line a pie tin with shortcrust pastry. Layer parchment paper and dried baking beans on top.
Bake for a few minutes, then remove the beans and parchment paper.
Add the filling to the pastry-lined tin.
Brush the edges with beaten egg.
Cover with puff pastry, pressing edges to seal.
Brush the top with egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden and crisp.

Enjoy your warm, comforting Chicken Pie with that special traditional touch from Saqib!

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sun, 03 May 2020 16:09:00 +0100

Ingredients #

Granulated sugar – 100 gram (can reduce for less sweetness)
Brown sugar – 165 gram (can reduce for less sweetness)
Salt – 1 tsp
Unsalted butter (room temperature) – 115 gram
Egg – 1
Vanilla extract – 1 tsp
Plain flour – 155 gram (can add more if needed)
Baking soda – ½ tsp
Cocoa powder – 1 tsp
White chocolate chunks – 110 gram
Dark chocolate chunks – 110 gram

Method #

Whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, and softened butter until creamy.
Whisk in the egg and vanilla extract until combined.
Add the plain flour, baking soda, and cocoa powder. Mix gently with a spatula.
Fold in the white and dark chocolate chunks.
Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes, preferably overnight for better flavour.
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Use an ice cream scoop to portion out the dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (this prevents burning the bottoms).
Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the edges start to brown—avoid overbaking to keep them chewy.

Enjoy your chewy, chocolate-loaded cookies fresh from the oven!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Wed, 01 May 2024 12:28:00 +0100

Crispy on the edges, chewy in the centre — these classic chocolate chip cookies are the ultimate comfort bake.

Perfect with a cup of tea or a glass of cold milk, they’re easy to make and hard to resist.

Ingredients #

Plain flour – 280 g / 2¼ cups
Baking soda – 1 tsp
Cornflour – 1½ tsp
Salt – ½ tsp
Unsalted butter (melted & cooled) – 170 g / ¾ cup
Light or dark brown sugar – 150 g / ¾ cup
Granulated sugar – 100 g / ½ cup
Large egg – 1
Egg yolk – 1
Vanilla extract – 2 tsp
Chocolate chips – 220 g / 1¼ cups

Recipe #

Whisk the flour, baking soda, cornflour, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth and lump-free.
Whisk in the egg and egg yolk, then add the vanilla extract.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix with a spatula. The dough will be soft, thick, and slightly greasy.
Fold in the chocolate chips. They may not stick easily due to the melted butter, but mix as well as you can.
Cover the dough tightly with cling film and refrigerate for at least 2–3 hours or up to 3 days.
Let the dough soften at room temperature for 10 minutes before baking.
Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F). Line baking trays with parchment paper.
Shape the dough into tall balls (like small cylinders) to ensure thick cookies. Place 8–9 per tray.
Bake for 12–13 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned and centres are soft.
Cool on the tray for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Storage:
Cookies stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Cherry and Almond Cake

Sun, 11 Nov 2018 01:00:00 +0100

Cherry and Almond Cake is one of my all-time favourites — a dependable classic that never disappoints. It’s soft and moist on the inside, with a thin golden crust and a beautiful balance of sweet cherries and nutty almond flavour. Always a hit with family and friends!

Ingredients #

Butter, softened – 175g (or 200g for extra richness)
Golden caster sugar – 175g (or 200g if preferred sweeter)
Eggs – 4
Almond extract – ½ tsp
Self-raising flour – 175g
Baking powder – ½ tsp
Ground almonds – 125g
Milk – 100ml
Glacé cherries – 300g
Flaked almonds – 2 tbsp

Recipe #

Preheat oven to 140°C fan (160°C conventional).
Line the base of a 20cm deep round cake tin with baking paper and grease the sides with butter.
Rinse the glacé cherries thoroughly, pat dry, halve them, and toss them in a little flour to prevent sinking.
In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.
Add almond extract.
Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed until just incorporated.
Gently fold in the flour, baking powder, and ground almonds.
Add half of the cherries to the batter at this stage (optional), and stir in the milk to loosen the mixture.
Pour the batter into the prepared tin.
Arrange the remaining cherries on top, then scatter over the flaked almonds.
Bake for 45 minutes, checking after 30–35 minutes. If needed, bake an additional 5–10 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.
Let the cake cool in the tin for 10 minutes on a wire rack before removing.

Serve slightly warm or at room temperature with tea or coffee — or even a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

Pumpkin Casserole

Sun, 26 Nov 2017 02:00:00 +0100

“Remember that it is a one-off dish, I am not sure if I will make it again but it was definitely unique.”

Pumpkin Casserole #

When you grow pumpkins on your allotment and end up with too many, you inevitably start searching for creative ideas. After giving a few to friends and leaving some in the hen run for the chickens to feed on, I was still left with a good number.