Focaccia with Basil and Garlic

Focaccia with Basil and Garlic

I love making my own focaccia bread or flat breads, I must have inherited this from my grandfather as he was a baker. I usually double this recipe and let the kids have half of the dough to make their own creations. Oliver my eldest son decided to turn his portion into a focaccia loaf it turned out surprisingly well.

Basil and Garlic Focaccia



Oliver's Focaccia Loaf

Ingredients

14g dried yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
200ml warm water
500g bread flour or all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
Topping
1 cup basil
2 cloves garlic
4 tbs olive oil
1 teaspoon salt

Method

Place the yeast in a small bowl add the sugar and half of the water stir until dissolved, set aside until it is creamy and bubbles appear about 10 minutes.
Place the flour and salt in a large bowl.
Add the yeast and the remaining water to form a firm dough.
Place the dough on a work surface and knead for 10 minutes, or until it is smoooth and elastic and doesn't stick to the surface, this will develop the gluten.
Place the dough in a large oiled bowl cover with a clean tea towel and set aside in a warm place to rise and double in size, this should take about 1 hour.
To test that the dough is ready, gently poke your finger into the dough if the impression remains its ready.
Oil a large rectangular pan ( swiss roll pan is fine ).
Roll out the dough, place in the pan and use your fingers to spread out the dough, this also make those characteristic holes and allows the topping to penetrate.
Allow to prove for a further 30 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 200c.
For the topping place the basil, garlic, salt and oil in a pestle or food processor and combine.
Place the topping on top of the focaccia, make sure its evenly spread.
Bake until golden about 20 - 25 minutes.

For Oliver,s bread we simply put his half of the dough into a loaf pan and baked it for the same time.



Lemon Yoghurt Cake

Lemon Yoghurt Cake

serves 8
cooking time 1 hour

I am not a great cake lover, but every now and then I crave something that is sweet and moist, this cake is it for me. I have made it as a dessert in the past and served it with a dollop of cream fraiche and toasted almonds, or if its just for the family a dollop of natural yoghurt on the side works just as well.

Ingredients

250g unsalted butter
200 g castor sugar
zest of 1 lemon
4 eggs
50 g plain flour
2 1/2 teas baking powder
250 g fine semolina
juice 1 lemon
200 g ground almonds
200 g plain yoghurt
Syrup
3/4 castor sugar
3/4 lemon juice
1 tbs water

Method

Preheat oven 170c.
Cream butter and sugar together until pale, add the eggs one at a time.
Add the lemon zest.
Mix in the yoghurt, lemon juice, flour and baking powder.
Gently fold in the semolina and ground almonds.
Pour into a greased 23cm spring form pan and bake for 1 hour or until a skewer comes out clean.
To make the syrup combine the lemon juice, sugar and water in a small saucepan, bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
When the cake is cooked remove from the oven and pierce all over with a skewer, pour the syrup over the cake and allow it to soak in.
Leave the cake in the pan for 1/2 hour before transferring to a platter.





 

Bueberry Muffins

Super Moist Blueberry Muffins

Makes 12 large muffins or 48 mini muffins

My boys love these they are a great after school snack, but also delicious with a morning cup of coffee.

 

 

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups plain flour
3 teas baking powder
3/4 cup castor sugar
1 1/2 cups milk
1 teas vanilla paste
150 gm melted butter (cooled)
2 tbs plain yogurt
1 tbs golden syrup
2 eggs
1 punnet blueberries

Directions

Place the dry ingredients in bowl, combine all the wet ingredients in a jug and mix well. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredient and pour in the wet ingredients, mix gently until combined, carefully fold in the blueberries. Divide the mixture among the lined muffin holes and cook for 20 minutes.