Recipes

Lemon Drizzle

70g softened unsalted butter
120g caster sugar
2 medium eggs
140g self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
zest of one lemon
1 tbsp lemon curd
2 tbsp full fat milk

Oven: 180°C
Beat the butter and sugar together
Add eggs and mix
Add flour, baking powder, lemon zest, lemon curd and mix
Cook for 25-30 minutes

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/lemon-drizzle-slices

Parkin

300g / 10oz  golden syrup
125g / 4oz  butter
125g / 4oz  sugar
225g / 8oz  plain wholemeal flour
225g / 8oz  porridge oats
2 teaspoons  ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon  bicarbonate of soda
150ml  milk

Oven: 180°C
Put the syrup in a pan
Add butter and sugar
Heat until melted 
Slowly add the flour, oats and ginger
Add bicarbonate of soda and milk
Cook for 50 minutes 

https://pennysrecipes.com/11790/parkin

Millionares Shortbread

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• 300g shortbread biscuits

• 100g melted unsalted butter

• 397g condensed milk

• 150g unsalted butter

• 150g light brown sugar

• 200g plain chocolate

• 50g milk chocolate

• 50g unsalted butter

Crush biscuits into crumbs

Combine crumbs with melted butter

Line bottom of the tin with mixture

Chill for 1 hour

Melt the butter and sugar in a pan

Add condensed milk and boil

Cool then pour over base

Chill for 1 hour

Melt the chocolate

Pour over caramel and refrigerate 

https://kerrycooks.com/no-bake-millionaires-bars/

Rocky Road

200g dark chocolate

3 tbsp golden syrup

135g butter

100g marshmallows

200g digestive biscuits

Break up the biscuits
Melt the butter, chocolate and syrup in a pan
Stir in biscuits and marshmallows
Pour into tray and refrigerate 

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/12412/rocky-road

Sticky Toffee Pudding 

75g butter

175g light muscovado sugar

2 eggs

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

175g self raising flour

1sp mixed spice

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Oven: 180°C
Beat the butter and sugar together
Add eggs and mix
Add bicarbonate of soda, flour, spice, vanilla and mix
Bake for 25 minutes


https://www.sainsburysmagazine.co.uk/recipes/traybakes/sticky-toffee-pudding-traybake

cheesecake

250g digestive biscuits

100g butter

600g soft cheese

200ml double cream

3 eggs

Crush biscuits into crumbs
Combine crumbs with melted butter
Line bottom of the tin with mixture
Chill for 1 hour
Mix together cheese, cream and eggs
Bake for 1 hour

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/4653/strawberry-cheesecake-in-4-easy-steps-

Meringue 

4 Egg whites

225g caster sugar

1tsp vanilla extract

Whisk egg whites until they form stiff peaks
Mix in sugar and vanilla
Bake for 1 hour

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/473629/lightest-ever-meringues

Chocolate cake

250g butter

300g caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla 

3 eggs

50g cocoa powder

200g self raising flour 

Oven:180°C
Combine melted butter, sugar, vanilla and eggs
Stir in cocoa powder and flour
Bake for 35 minutes

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/11269/sticky-chocolate-drop-cakes

Butter Cookie

200g flour
100g sugar
50g butter
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

Oven: 180°C
Beat the butter and sugar together
Add egg, vanilla and mix
Add flour and mix
Bake for 20 minutes

Butter Cake

140g self raising flour
100g butter
100g caster sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp water

Oven: 180°C
Beat the butter and sugar together
Add the egg, vanilla, water and mix
Add the flour and mix
Cook for 30 minutes

step by step baking

One of my favourite recipe books is this one above, it has so many recipes which all have step by step instructions to help. I wanted to take elements I like from this and think of how to incorporate them into my own cookbook. 

I like the unit converter found in the front and the back of the book, I use this a lot as most recipes I find online or pull out of magazines are in different units therefore they're hard to follow. 

The page dividers are also good as they are colour coded therefore make them easy to find which is useful as the book has hundreds of recipes. However my book wouldn't have as many therefore this wouldn't be an essential element. 

Recipe Ideas

I wanted to keep the recipes in the book consistent and to have some sort of theme to them. Most recipe books have sections such as biscuits, small cakes, celebration cakes and so on. However I don't think I will have time to bake this much and produce enough content if I was to have categories in my book. Therefore I want all of my recipes to have something in common.

Ideas:
Cheesecakes
Tarts
Biscuits
Cakes
Cupcakes
Muffins
Chocolate
Apples
Pies
Lemon
Strawberry
Tray bakes
White chocolate
Caramel
Bread
Orange
Meringue
No bake

At first I was toying with the idea of doing a tart cookbook as I thought it could be done in a bit of a tongue in cheek style and made a bit funny. However, I thought this would limit me as I could only think of 5 different tart variations. I decided to go for tray bakes as I think more things fall under this category therefore there will be more variety within my cookbook.

Tray bakes: 

Custard Cream Blondies
Caramel Bars
Toffee Apple Slices
Nut and Oat Breakfast Bars
Classic Chocolate Brownies
Sticky Toffee Pudding Squares 
Flapjack
Cheesecake 
Rocky Road
Lemon Drizzle
Bakewell Slices
Gingerbread 
Fruity Tray Bake
Apple Tray Bake
Sticky Chocolate Drop Cake
Eton Mess Cake
Digestive Biscuit Bars
Yorkshire Parkin





http://www.olivemagazine.com/guides/best-ever/best-ever-traybake-recipes/
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/traybake

Tips For Photographing Food

Shoot in Natural Light

light is key to creating still life, always shoot in natural daylight. If you use artificial light it will cast an orange glow altering the colours of the food. Bright sunlight causes exposure and dark shadows, overcast days are the best for shooting on. 

Shadows

they are important as they can make or break an image, they can enhance the image but sometimes dominate it. Therefore shooting on an overcast day is best to avoid harsh shadows. 

Use a Neutral Background

The background is very important as if it is too messy or colourful the attention will be drawn away from the food. A fairly neutral background allows you to place maximum emphasis on the food. It doesn't necessarily have to be plain but it should complement the subject. 

The three main types of background that work well are light backgrounds, dark backgrounds and wood. Dark food usually looks good on a dark background, light food on a  light background where as wood complements any food. A wooden table makes a great backdrop especially near a window for natural light.

Colour

Warm tones create a harmonious composition which create feeling of comfort and tranquility. Contrasting colours tend to have the opposite effect as they are vibrant and dynamic. 

Shoot from The Best Angle

Shooting from above is often the best choice as it allows all the detail of the food to be included and it emphasises the shapes of the dishes and other objects. 

Arrange Food Neatly 

composition is key and should be thought out, arrange things in a unique or neat way. 

Allow Breathing Space

leaving empty, negative space will create a more pleasing composition and emphasise the subject. 

Take several shots with different compositions. 

Decorate the Scene 

both the food and the background are vital elements when taking photos, make them more interesting by decorating the scene with smaller items such as dry ingredient. 

Create A Story

adding more elements to the photo you can tell a story things such as a cup of tea, a book to create a cosy image. 

Add A Human Element

adding your arm to the image can give the viewer a sense of presence. Having a person using cutlery can also add an element of movement.

Keep It Simple

For bold food or food that is the main focus keep the image simple. Don't have much in the background that will distract the viewer. 

Expose For The Highlights

the main exposure problem that happens in food photography is over exposure on white items such as plates. 

Enhance Colours When Editing 

https://iphonephotographyschool.com/food/

Quintessential baking

The illustrative elements and handwritten text is something I really like about this book as I think it makes it more approachable but also gives a clue to the fun nature of the book. 

I also like the colour use, these bright pastel-y shades contrast nicely against the white text which again makes it less formal than most recipe books. 

The introduction to this book is very friendly and bright. I like how illustrative it is as I think this makes it fun and quirky. It adds Frances' own personal style to it and makes the book more her own, as though she is sharing her knowledge with you rather than cookbooks that don't have a face behind them/ a human name behind them. 

Publication Ideas / Baking research

Things I like:
dogs
dog walking
cooking
baking
cake decorating
interiors
colours

Baking is something I do on a regular basis, typically 2-3 times a week as I think it is a nice treat for family and friends and a good way to unwind.

Top 10 Traditional British Cakes

Carrot cake, descendant from the 10th century when carrots were used as alternatives to sweeteners. The cake became increasingly popular during WW2 and it wasn't until the 1960s that people started to frost the cake with cream cheese icing.

Scones, originating from a Scottish bannock which is a type of flat bread. The word scone was first used in 1513.

Victoria Sponge, occasionally referred to as a victoria sandwich is a type of sponge cake filled with whipped cream and raspberry jam. It was named after Queen Victoria and became popular during afternoon tea in the 19th century. The traditional method of making it dates back to 1615 but it wasn't until the 1840s that the victoria sponge started to take its fluffy modern form as baking powder was invented.

Chelsea Bun, created in the 18th century in the Chelsea Bun house which is a bun shop located in Chelsea that served royal members such as King George II until 1839.

Madeira Cake, named after a Portuguese wine the oldest recipe of the cake is from the 18th century.

Shortbread, a variation of biscuit that originated in Scotland. The oldest recipe was written by Mrs McLintoc in 1736.

Eccles Cake, made from pastry filled with currants are named after Eccles a town in Manchester. In 1769 a similar recipe of the cake was found in a cookbook by Elizabeth Raffald who lived in Arley Hall, Cheshire, It was referred to as sweet patty.

Welsh Cake, traditional bake from Wales that is cooked on a bakestone. It is similar to a scone and is usually served with tea, it is eaten alone rather than with jam and cream as the raisins/sultanas/ currants and sugar make it sweet.

Battenberg, a pink and yellow chequered pattern cake covered in marzipan. It was made for the royal wedding of Prince Louis of Battenberg and Princess Victoria in 1884. It has not always had the four sectioned pattern, it originally had nine pieces.

Sticky Toffee Pudding, the original recipe was developed by Francis Coulson in the Lake District in the 1970s. It is said to have Canadian origins as it is similar to an American muffin, usually served with vanilla custard or ice cream.

https://theculturetrip.com/europe/united-kingdom/articles/10-classic-british-sweet-bakes/

20 Best British Bakes

Bakewell Tarts, voted the nations favourite baked treat in 2015. It was created in Derbyshire and has recipes dating back as far as 1845. 

Pork Pies

Scones, originating from a Scottish bannock which is a type of flat bread. The word scone was first used in 1513. 

Victoria Sponge, occasionally referred to as a victoria sandwich is a type of sponge cake filled with whipped cream and raspberry jam. It was named after Queen Victoria and became popular during afternoon tea in the 19th century. The traditional method of making it dates back to 1615 but it wasn't until the 1840s that the victoria sponge started to take its fluffy modern form as baking powder was invented.

Butterfly Buns, traditionally made from slicing a circle off the top of a fairy cake then cutting it in two to form butterfly wings. 

Sticky Toffee Pudding, the original recipe was developed by Francis Coulson in the Lake District in the 1970s. It is said to have Canadian origins as it is similar to an American muffin, usually served with vanilla custard or ice cream. 

Apple Crumble, traditionally made with fruits that are in season therefore popular in autumn.

Lemon Drizzle, is a simple sponge which is popular in both France and England. 

Steak and Ale Pie

White loaf

Toad in The Hole

Coffee Cake, originated in Germany which were more like sweet breads than cakes. It was in 1879 when the term coffee cake became a common term. 

Fairy Cake, traditionally a lighter sponge and less icing than a cupcake. 

Shortbread, a variation of biscuit that originated in Scotland. The oldest recipe was written by Mrs McLintoc in 1736.

Cornish Pasty

Chelsea Bun, created in the 18th century in the Chelsea Bun house which is a bun shop located in Chelsea that served royal members such as King George II until 1839. 

Teabread, also known as Bara Brith in Wales is an old fashioned loaf cake which has lots of flavour as it contains lots of dried fruit and tea.

Cheese Scones

Swiss Roll,  despite the name it does not originate from Sweden instead it is believed to originate from Austria in the 19th century.

Chicken Pie

http://www.goodtoknow.co.uk/recipes/pictures/34977/20-best-british-bakes

Here are the nation's top 10 cakes

1. Chocolate cake
2. Victoria sponge
3. Lemon drizzle
4. Carrot cake
5. Cherry Bakewell
6. Coffee cake
7. Christmas cake
8. Battenberg
9. Angel slices
10. Madeira

http://www.goodhousekeeping.co.uk/food/as-rated-by-the-ghi/what-is-britains-favourite-cake-recipe

BBC Favourite Cake Recipes

Lemon Drizzle

Chocolate Cake

Banana Bread

Carrot Cake

Banana Cake

Orange and Almond Cake

Coffee Cake

Madeira Cake 

Victoria Sponge Cake

Sponge Cake

Iced Fingers 

Lemon Layer Cake

Ginger and Treacle Traybake

New York Cheesecake 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/collections/favourite_cake_recipes

Yorkshire Recipes

Parkin, a gingerbread cake associated with Yorkshire (in particularly Leeds) thought to have been invented by Viking settlers and is often associated with bonfire night. 

Pontefract cakes are sweets flavoured with liquorice, a liquorice festival happens each year in July in Pontefract, The Liquorice Capital of England. 

Fat Rascal, closely related to the historical turf cake which is similar to a scone/ rock cake. It originated in Yorkshire at least as early as the 1800s.