Mini Rolo Tarts - Too Simple ?

Thank you to the girl I was chatting to in Lakeland the other week for this recipe.... I met you next to all the baking equipment as I looked for a pastry tamper. I'm sorry I couldn't stay - but when a toddler wants fed ... it's URGENT.

For the rest of you - I think you are starting to get the picture. Oliver had been SO good but was starting to get rather hungry for his lunch. Toddlers are not keen on shopping of any description. The pastry tamper shown above did not come from Lakeland - they did not have such a beast. Instead, it came from Looses Cook Shop in Norwich.

The girl I spoke to who was also shopping in Lakeland suggested I give this recipe a go and waxed lyrical about it. She swore Oliver would love it - and I really think he will.... (IF there are any left in the morning !)

These little Rolo tarts are so easy to make. Get your pen and paper ready - you may want to write down the ingredients incase you forget.

1 pack of sweet shortcrust pastry (I used Sainsbury's)

3 packets of Rolos (there are 10 in a pack)

1 packet of white chocolate buttons

THAT'S IT !!

You'll need a 24 hole mini muffin silicone mould, or equivalent in traditional tin.

Divide pastry into 24 balls and place each ball in the cell of a mini muffin tin. There is absolutely NO need to grease or line the cells. Press down with a tamper and mini cases miraculously appear.

I then put my whole tray in the freezer for an hour or so as this helps the cases stay in a nice shape. I never bother blind baking anything these days - and cases this small would be a real fiddle otherwise.

Remove from fridge / freezer and pop a Rolo into each pastry case.

Then put the mould on a tray into the oven at 200deg C fan for approx 12 mins.

When you take it out, put a white chocolate button on top.

That's it.... but believe me - they are little mouthfulls of yumminess. Somebody's been at them already - there are 4 empty ones in the tray. Wonder where they went to :whistlesinthewind: -  Who me ????

Sarah-Jane Nash, http://www.siliconemoulds.com/ -the silicone cook shop. Cookware and bakeware. May 2010

Salted Cashew & Caramel Bars

These are lots of things - especially things you wouldn't expect. They are bursting with flavours and textures.

Crunchy, chewy, sweet, salty and nutty. One will NEVER be enough !

I made these last week.... and there are none left ! In my defense, I was very good and did only have one... but several people had rather more. You know who you are ..... :-P

This recipe originated from The Sweet Melissa Baking Book - but I've changed it somewhat to make it mine. It's a tray bake and very easy. Ideal for cake sales or charity events as not only is it seriously tasty - but you can prepare a batch and chop it into portions. It still looks lovely.

My original portions as per photo above were too big - I'd recommend halving them. One lasagne / tray bake silicone mould cut into 12 squares - but this would have been far better as 24 finger sized bars. It also yeilded 4 x mini loaf mould sized bars (each of which I cut into two squares to match the size of the other ones)

The only thing I can fault it on is that my base was too thick. Next time, I'd use 2 x lasagne / tray bake moulds and up the topping by 25%.

Recipe

Base :

250g salted butter
1/2 cup dark brown soft
1/2 cup caster sugar

2.1/2 cups plain flour

cream butter and sugars. Add in flour until a soft dough has just formed. Press into your tins / trays and prick all over with a fork. If using silicone trays - no need to oil or grease at all. If traditional tins, line with greaseproof paper and grease.

Cook at 180deg C for about 30mins if using 2 x silicone lasagne tins - or 40 mins if using one and 4 x mini loaf moulds as I did. The base should just be starting to colour when it's ready.

Topping

200g milk chocolate

1 cup golden syrup

6 princess (or other brand) marshmallows

6 tablespoons of double cream

2.1/2 of salted cashews - I used Sainsbury's budget range (all 1/2's)

Add all the items except the nuts to a saucepan on a low heat. Melt the ingreditents together, stirring all the time. 

 As soon as it gets to simmering point, take it off the heat and pour into the prepared trays on top of the hot base. Scatter the nuts on top.

Return to the oven for approx 5 mins.

Allow to cool in the tin or tray before turning out and chopping into bars. ( I made mine in the evening and popped in the fridge when cool to do the chopping up in the morning !)

Sarah-Jane Nash, http://www.siliconemoulds.com/ - May 2010

Madeleines - but they're Caramel Mud Cake !

I've really fancied making madeleines for some time now. Those cutesy little half shell shaped cakes.

Traditionally, they're made with a genoise sponge and ground almonds - but hey - nothing to stop you making them anything you like !

I dug out my madeleine moulds which have been sitting at the back of a cupboard in the shed feeling forgotten. As I'd not used them before and they had been stored up for some time, I washed them in warm soapy water and then greased and floured them before using.

I've never bothered flouring silicone moulds before - though I normally butter brand new silicone moulds when I'm making cakes. However, as I progressed through the method - the mix seemed very dense and sticky... so I decided it wouldn't hurt to help it on it's way.

Recipe

125g of butter

100g white eating chocolate (chopped)

2/3 cup / 150g firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 cup / 90g golden syrup

2/3 cup / 160ml milk

1 cup / 150g plain flour

1/3 cup / 50g self raising flour

1 egg

Preheat fan over to 150deg C

Put sugar, syrup, butter, milk and chocolate in a pot. Melt (stirring) at a low heat. Cool for 10 minutes.

Put into a mixing bowl. Sift flours and add whisk in. Whisk in beaten egg.

This should make 12 cupcakes. I made 6 cupcakes and 16 madeleines. Cupcakes take 30mins in the oven, madeleines take 12mins

 

Sarah-Jane - http://www.siliconemoulds.com/, March 2010