St. Patrick's Day Bakes
Another fantastic year of baking has sadly come to an end... 😢
For the final challenge of the year, our bakers were tasked with baking something that fits the 'St. Patrick's Day' brief -- it was Becky's Peppermint Slices that got the pot of gold in the end! (well ... she got a pair of oven mits, but ... whatever! Oven mits, pot of gold -- same thing 🤩)
On behalf of the Glasgow University Baking Society, I'd like to thank and congratulate each and every one of our bakers for their participation in this year's challenges -- your creativity and dedication never fail to wow us!
And so for the final time this year, here are some of the marvellous bakes...
Becky's Peppermint Slices
Ingredients
For the Biscuit Base
400 g Digestives
150 g Unsalted Butter (melted)
100 g Condensed Milk
For the Mint Filling
350 g Icing Sugar
2 tsp Peppermint Extract
Green Food Colouring
2-3 tbsp Water
For the Topping
300 g Milk Chocolate
White chocolate
Sprinkles
Method
Line a 9x9" Square Tin with parchment paper and leave to the side for now.
Blitz the biscuits in a food processor until they are a fine crumb – mix in the melted butter and condensed milk blitz again until combined!
Press into the bottom of the tin and chill whilst you make the icing!
Mix the icing sugar, peppermint essence, and food colouring and enough water till it forms a relatively thick paste – spread across the biscuit base.
Start with less water and gradually add in a tiny amount more – you don’t want it runny, you have to be able to spread it but still be thick. Leave to set for an hour.
Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and pour on top of the icing (trying not to disturb the icing too much) and leave to set in the fridge till solid, so probably an hour or two!
Cut the Mint Slice into 16-25 pieces and enjoy!
Madeleine's Yogurt Soda Bread
Ingredients
Butter, for greasing
175g plain white flour
275g wholemeal flour
1 1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
3 tsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
1 egg
300ml natural yogurt
150ml water
Milk, for brushing
Method
Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas mark 5. Grease a baking tray.
Sift white flour, wholemeal flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl, then beat in the egg, yogurt and water until a soft dough forms.
Shape the dough into a round, place on a prepared baking tray and cut a cross in the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes, then brush the top with milk and bake for a further 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
Sara's Irish Cream Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the Base
10 digestive biscuits
3 ounces of butter
For the Topping
750 grams of mascarpone
4 tablespoons of icing sugar (more can be added, if needed)
Zest of 2 lemons
Juice of 3 lemons
A spoonful of baileys (or however much you want)
For the Decoration
½ of a large white chocolate bar
A packet of chocolate stars
For the Sauce
400g frozen berries
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoons cornflour mixed with 1 tbsp water
Method
For the Base
Crush up the biscuits with a rolling pin and melt the butter in a pan over a low heat.
Combine the butter and biscuits, and transfer to a lined cake tin, packing it down evenly with the back of a spoon.
Put in the fridge to set whist you make the topping – usually at least 45 minutes.
For the Topping
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and taste to adjust sweetness. If it’s not sweet enough, add more icing sugar; if it’s too sweet, add more mascarpone. Add more Bailey’s if you like – this can be substituted with whisky or completely left out if you want an alcohol-free version.
Mix until well-combined, and put on top of the set cold base. Smooth the mixture into a level surface and leave in the fridge to set for at least 2 hours.
For the Decoration
Once the cake has set take out the fridge and decorate.
Grate white chocolate over the top and sides of the cake, and decorate with the stars – this recipe is also nice with summer berries.
For the Sauce
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix.
Pour well combined mixture into a pan and cook over a low heat until the mixture has slightly thickened. This should take around 8-15 minutes.
Once thickened, leave to cool at room temperature before putting in the fridge to serve with the cheesecake when cold.
Alternatively, you can put the berry mixture in a food processor if you don’t like the chunky texture – this should then take around 5 minutes to thicken.
Maebh's Traditional Brown Bread
Ingredients
700g wheaten meal
225g plain flour
50g wheat bran
50g pinhead oatmeal
1 tsp salt
1 tsp bread (baking) soda
2 tsp soft brown sugar
1 tbsp treacle (molasses) -- dissolved in about 50g melted butter
900 ml buttermilk
Method
Preheat a very hot oven, 450°F/230°C/gas 8, and oil two 2 lb/900g loaf tins.
Mix all dry ingredients thoroughly. Then add the treacle/molasses and butter mixture and enough buttermilk to make a very wet dough.
Turn into the oiled tins and bake for 15 minutes.
Reduce the heat to 300°F/150°C/gas 2 for another hour, until the loaves sound hollow when turned out and tapped on the base. Cool on a wire rack.
Sam's Mint Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies
Ingredients
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp fine sea salt
16 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/2 teaspoon green food colouring
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon milk
Method
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until well-combined and smooth, about 2 minutes. Add egg and extracts and beat until combined. On low speed, gradually add flour mixture and beat until incorporated. Remove half of dough from bowl and set aside. Beat green food colouring into remaining dough until evenly coloured. Into other half of dough, stir in cocoa powder and milk until combined.
Place chocolate dough between two large sheets of parchment paper. Roll dough into a large rectangle about 1/4-inch thick. Repeat with remaining green dough. Carefully place green dough rectangle on top of chocolate dough rectangle, peeling away parchment from green dough. Trim edges if necessary. Using the parchment paper under chocolate dough as a guide to prevent sticking, roll the long side of dough into a tight log, creating a pinwheel effect. Wrap log in plastic wrap and freeze for 30 minutes, or until firm.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Use a sharp knife, cut dough log into 1/2-inch slices. Place slices on prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until set. Remove baking sheets to the cooling racks and let cool for 2 minutes before removing the cookies to racks to cool completely.
Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Kavita's Matcha White Chocolate Mousse Cake
Ingredients
For the Matcha Sponge Cake
1/4 cup milk
3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup caster sugar
4 large eggs
2 tbsp matcha tea powder
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
For the White Chocolate Mousse
6 gelatine leaves
2 tbsp cold water
1 cup white chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
For the Matcha Mousse
3 gelatine leaves
2 tbsp cold water
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
2 tbsp matcha tea powder
1/3 cup powdered sugar
For the Decoration
3 tbsp matcha tea powder
Method
For the Matcha Sponge Cake
Pre-heat the oven to 175°C / 350°F. For this recipe you’ll need a 7-inch cake tin and an 8-inch cake tin. You can buy these online on Amazon or your local cake supply store.
Add milk and butter into a small microwave safe owl and microwave for 30seconds or until butter is melted. Set aside to cool.
Add eggs, sugar and vanilla extract into a large mixing bowl. Use electric hand beaters to whisk until mixture triples in size and goes pale. Sift the flour and matcha powder into the bowl and use a spatula to carefully and gently fold in until there are no big bits of flour showing. Then add the milk mixture around the sides of the bowl and fold through using a spatula until well combined. Take care not to over mix as this will deflate all the air from the eggs.
Pour into an 8” cake tin lined with baking paper and bake for 15-20minutes.
While the cake is baking, line the bottom of a 7” cake tin (4 inches high) with baking paper. Line the sides with acetate.
Use a 7” cake cutter to cut out the cake. Place in the 7” cake tin. Use a wet cloth to wipe away any crumbs that may have gone on the acetate as the cake went in. Set aside.
For the White Chocolate Mousse
Add cold water into a large mixing bowl. Add all 9 gelatine leaves and allow to soak.
Add water, 60ml (1/4 cup) cream and melted white chocolate into a microwave safe bowl and whisk until combined. Microwave for 90 seconds.
Take 6 leaves of gelatine out of the water and squeeze the water well in your hands. Add to the warm mixture one by whisking each time. Allow to cool to room temperature. Don’t allow the mixture to cool too much otherwise it will set.
Add the remaining cream into a large mixing bowl along with the vanilla extract. Use an electric beater to whip to stiff peaks. Add the cooled white chocolate mixture and use a spatula to fold into the whipped cream.
Spoon the mixture on top of the cake layer in the 7” cake tin. Use the back of a spoon to even out. Place in the fridge.
For the Matcha Mousse
Add water, 100ml cream and matcha powder into a microwave safe bowl and whisk until combined. Microwave for 90 seconds.
Take 3 leaves of gelatine out of the water and squeeze the water well in your hands. Add to the warm mixture one by whisking each time. Allow to cool to room temperature. Don’t allow the mixture to cool too much otherwise it will set.
Add the remaining cream into a large mixing bowl along with the vanilla extract. Use an electric beater to whip to stiff peaks. Add the cooled white chocolate mixture and use a spatula to fold into the whipped cream.
Spoon the mixture on top of the white chocolate mousse. Use the back of a spoon to even out. Place in the freezer for 4 hours to set completely.
To finish the cake, carefully lift it out of the cake tin. Use a small sieve to dust with matcha powder. Slowly unwrap from the acetate and slice to serve.