my baking journal

sam

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if you find this journalplease return to...

sam

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spatulas

mixing bowl

oven mitt

rolling pinwhisk

cooling rack

palette knife pastry brush

measuring jug

cookie cutters

icing smoother

apron

scales measuring cups muffin tray

food mixerwooden spoons

essential baking equipment...

sam

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my essential baking equipment...

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flour:wholemeal / whole-wheat flour: made by grinding the whole grain of wheat. To increase the nutritional profile of a bake, wholemeal flour can replace a portion of all-purpose flour.bread flour: contains more protein, and so more gluten. It is ideal for baking loaves with a chewy crumb.cake flour: lower in protein and gluten than all-purpose flour, cake flour is chemically treated then finely ground, which contributes to cakes with a lighter texture.pastry flour: a medium-protein flour that's ideal for tender pie crusts.self-raising flour: has leavening agents distributed throughout the flour, which helps with a consistent rise in scones / cakes etc.gluten free flours: are free from contamination with gluten and are suitable with people with coeliac disease and wheat allergies. Popular gluten free flours include tapioca flour, rice flour and buckwheat flour. cornmeal: is a coarse flour ground from dried maize. Perfect for cornbread - works well for crunchy waffles and pancakes.cornstarch: is a corn flour which is finely ground. It is commonly used in sauces and pie fillings for thickening.

sugar:granulated sugar: when recipes just list sugar as an ingredientgranulated sugar is what is required. icing sugar / powdered sugar / confectioners' sugar: is ground into ultra-fine particles and combined with starch so it doesn't cake up in its package. Perfect for frostings and icings. brown sugar: is refined sugar with molasses added. The amount of molasses in the mix accounts for the range of colour and flavour in light, medium and dark brown sugars. caster sugar: is granulated sugar ground into tiny crystals that dissolve very quickly. Because of this, some bakers like to use it to make meringues and sweeten whipped cream. You can substitute it 1:1 for regular granulated sugar.

essential ingredients...

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eggs

honeychocolate

jam

flour

sugar

maple syrup

dessicated coconut

oranges limelemon candied peel

nuts

cloves

glace cherries

vanilla pod

ginger

black treacle

cinnamon

essential baking ingredients...

sam

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oven temperatures

celsius fahrenheit gas mark oven heat

110˚

140˚

160˚

190˚

220˚

240˚

120˚

150˚

180˚

200˚

230˚

very cool

cool

moderate

moderately hot

hot

very hot

very cool

cool

moderate

moderately hot

very hot

225˚

275˚

325˚

375˚

425˚

475˚

250˚

300˚

350˚

400˚

450˚

¼

1

3

5

7

9

½

2

4

6

8

volumefl ozlitres

1.25 ml

5 ml

30 ml

100 ml

200 ml

2.5 ml

15 ml

60 ml

150 ml

240 ml

¼ tsp

1 tsp

1 fl oz

3.5 fl oz

7 fl oz

10 fl oz

½ tsp

1 tbsp

2 fl oz

5 fl oz

8 fl oz

34 fl oz

20 fl oz

cupspints

-

-

¼ pint

-

-

-

-

-

½ pint

1.7 pints

1 pint

-

-

0.4 cup

0.8 cup

-

-

-

-

0.6 cup

1 cup

4.2 cups

2 cups570 ml

300 ml

1 litre

pint

pint

cup

weightlb/ozgrams

10g

50g

100g

200g

300g

25g

75g

150g

250g

350g

0.25oz

1.75oz

3.5oz

7oz

1oz

2.75oz

5.5oz

9oz

lb/ozgrams

500g

1kg

400g

750g

2kg

10.5oz

12oz

1lb 2oz

2.25lb

14oz

1lb 10oz

4.5lb

*Remember to stick to either imperial or metric when using a recipe - don’t mix the two!

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please note

round tin

inches cms6”8”9”11”

15cm20cm23cm28cm

5”7”8”10”

13cm28cm20cm

25.5cm

square tin

inches cms

If you're using a square tin for a round tin recipe, keep the temperature the same, and turn the cake during baking, as the corners tend to cook faster than the middle.

tin sizes

abbreviations

shorttspdsptbsp1 spoonful1 level spoonfl ozlb

longteaspoondessertspoontablespoon1 slightly rounded spoonful1 flat spoonfulfluid ouncepound

1 Cup Flour, Sifted is not the same as 1 Cup Sifted Flour.When sifting you change the volume of the ingredients. 1 Cup Flour, Sifted means to sift the flour after measuring it. 1 Cup Sifted Flour means to add one cup of flour that was measured from already sifted flour. The same is true of measuring chopped ingredients: 1 Cup Nuts, Chopped means chop the nuts after measuring.

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Place a tray of boiling water on the bottom shelf of the oven before baking. this will help the top of the dough to open and gives the crust a beautiful rich colour.

Use the windowpane test to make sure your dough has been kneaded sufficiently. take a golf ball sized chunk of dough and stretch it out between your thumbs and first two fingers - if it forms a thin membrane you can see through without breaking, the gluten networks are devel-oped and the dough is good to go!

Use a baking stone for a great crust - they’re heavy and take a long time to heat up but baking stones help to create a brick oven atmosphere.

Calibrate your oven. especially if your loaves are coming out too dark or too wet or taking longer to bake than the recipe says they should. and don’t forget to preheat your oven.

Always freeze any left overs, but do not refrigerate your bread, or it willdry out too quickly. a loaf can keep for up to three months in the freezer.

Replace half the water in a recipe with yoghurt! Yes really! This will give more flavour to white bread without it tasting milky.

bread tips...

kneading

pide. tear and share bread. stollen. brioche. fougasse. tsoureki. baguette. barmbrack.

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you will need: method:

basic bread recipe...

500g (17oz) strong white flour,(plus extra for dusting)

2 tsp salt

7g (0.24oz) sachet fast-action yeast

3 tbsp olive oil

300ml (10 fl oz) water

oven: 200˚C / 392˚F / gas 6

1 baking tray

makes: 1 loaf

prep time: 20 minutes

baking time: 25-30 minutes

A great recipe for an electric breadmaker - or do it the traditional way!

Mix 500g (17oz) strong white flour, 2 tsp salt and a 7g (0.24oz) sachet of fast-action yeast in a large bowl.

Make a well in the centre, add 3 tbsp olive oil and 300ml (10fl oz) of water, and mix well. If the dough seems stiff, just add another 1-2 tbsp water and keep mixing.

Tip onto a lightly floured surface and kneadfor 10 mins.

Once the dough is satin-smooth, place it in alightly oiled bowl and cover with cling film. Leave to rise for 1 hour until doubled in size or place in the fridge overnight.

Line a baking tray with baking parchment. Knock back the dough (punch the air out and pull the dough in on itself ) then gently mould the dough into a ball.

Place it on the baking parchment to prove for a further hour until doubled in size.

Dust the loaf with some extra flour and cut across about 6cm long into the top of the loaf with a sharp knife.

Bake for 25-30 mins until golden brown and when tapped underneath the loaf sounds hollow. Cool on a wire rack.

sun-dried tomato bread. pizza dough. sourdough. pita. bagels. panettone. naan. scone

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shortcrust pastry. puff pastry. flaky pastry. rough puff pastry. choux pastry. filo pastry

Make sure you rest the pastry in the fridge after handling it, this allows the fat to firm up - try to keep your kitchen, worktop and hands cool too.

Don’t add too much flour to the work surface. before baking or folding the pastry, brush off excess flour. to avoid using flour at all - roll out pastry between two layers of cling film.

Make sure your fillings are cold before pouring into tart cases, covering with pie lids or wrapping in filo otherwise the heat will cause the fat to melt and lead to soggy pastry.

Glazing your pastry: egg whites create a very shiny finish, beaten eggs or egg yolks ensure a deeply coloured shine while milk or cream gives a matt golden colour. filo pastry: glaze with melted butter or a neutral oil.

Cooking pastry at the right temperature is crucial! too cool - the fat will melt before the pastry becomes firm causing it to collapse, too hot and the pastry may burn before the filling is cooked.

When it comes to cooking the pie or tart - placing it in the middle of the oven allows heat to circulate which means the pastry cooks evenly on the top and bottom.

lattice pie top guide

pastry tips...

sam

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you will need: method:

basic shortcrust pastry recipe...

125g (4oz) plain flour

pinch of salt

55g (2oz) butter, cubed

30-45ml / 2-3 tbsp cold water

makes: 170g (6oz)

prep time: less than 30 minutes

A quick and easy recipe for shortcrust pastry. You can make it by hand or in a food processor.

Put the flour and salt in a large bowl and add the cubes of butter.

Use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour until you have a mixture that resembles coarse breadcrumbs with no large lumps of butter remaining. Try to work quickly so that it does not become greasy.

Using a knife, stir in just enough of the cold water to bind the dough together.

Wrap the dough in clingfilm and chill for 10-15 minutes before using.

Food processor technique. Put the flour, butter and salt in the food processor and pulse until the fat is rubbed into the flour.

With the motor running, gradually add the water through the funnel until the dough comes together. Only add enough water to bind it and then stop.

Wrap the dough in clingfilm as before and chill for 10-15 minutes before using.

suet crust pastry. hot water crust pastry. pate sucree pastry. rough puff pastry.

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round cake tin springform tin tube tin

loaf tin square baking tin bundt tin

Use the tin size stated in the recipe and line it well. baking parchment works really well for lining as it's non-stick. softened butter or oil dusted with flour work well too.

Get as much air into the cake as you can. cream butter and sugar until the mixture lightens in texture and colour. this increases the air and volume of the cake, giving you a lighter result.

Preheat the oven. if you put a cake into an oven that's not hot enough, it will affect the way it rises.

Room temperature ingredients mix better than cold ingredients. try to get your cold ingredients as close to room temperature as you can before mixing your cake batter.

Once the cake mixture is made put it straight into the oven. raising agents start working as soon as they come into contact with any of the 'wet' ingredients so to ensure a good rise your cake mixture should go into the oven straightaway.

If you’re adding chocolate chips or fruit bits into your cake mix, coat them lightly with flour to help keep them from sinking to the bottom of the tin.

cake tips...

carrot cake. lemon drizzle cake. red velvet cake. victoria sponge cake. chocolate mud cake.

sam

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coffee cake. rainbow cake. fruitcake. marble cake. rock buns. pineapple upside down cake.

you will need: method:

basic cake recipe...

175g (6oz) margarine or softened butter

175g (6oz) caster sugar

3 large eggs

175g (6oz) self-raising flour, sifted

1tsp baking powder

1tsp vanilla extract

pinch of salt

oven: 180˚C / 356˚F / gas 4

18cm (7in) round cake tin

makes: 1 cake

prep time: 20 minutes

baking time: 45-50 minutes

Don't be tempted to open the oven before 40 minutes - you'll regret it!

Put the cake in an airtight container and it can be stored for up to 2 days.

Heat the oven to 180°C (gas mark 4). Lightly grease an 18cm (7in) round cake tin with a little extra butter or margarine and cut a piece of greaseproof paper or non-stick baking parchment to fit the base of the tin.

Put all the ingredients into a large mixing bowl and beat with a wooden spoon or a hand-held mixer for 1 minute, or until just combined. It's important not to beat the batter too much - just long enough to make it smooth.

Pour or spoon the mixture into the tin, smooth the top and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for about 45-50 minutes.

Let the cake sit in the tin for 5 minutes, then gently run a knife around the edge and turn the cake out onto a wire rack to cool. Serve dusted with icing sugar.sam

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Don’t try to ice your cookies until they’re completely cool, the icing will begin to melt as soon as it hits the heat of the cookie.

Chill the cookie dough. The colder the dough the less likely the cookies are to over-spread into greasy puddles. always roll your cookie dough from cold, and re-chill before baking for super clean-edged biscuits.

Keep your surface floured – you can do this by lightly by rolling your dough back over your rolling pin to expose the underside, making it easier to flick a bit more flour under there.

Bake cookies of different sizes on different trays. as you would imagine smaller cookies take less time to bake than larger ones. by baking them on different trays you’ll avoid having little burnt ones and big raw ones.

Make sure you roll out your dough in different directions or turn your dough as you roll. you need to account for any differing pressure points and aim for a nice even dough height.

Give your cookies enough space on the baking tray. this way they can cook evenly, and won’t join together if they do spread slightly.

Don’t have a cookie cutter? Try using the rim of a glass or teacup, and if you’ve misplaced your rolling pin, a wine bottle makes a great alternative!

cookie tips...

frenchstarround closed star

shortbread. stroopwafel. viennese whirls. florentine. abernethy. amaretti. garibaldi.

sam

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Oatmeal Raisin

Cookies

+ rolled oats

+ raisins

Salted Caramel Cookies

+ chopped caramels

+ pinch of sea salt

Chocolate Chip

Cookies

+ chunks of

white / milk /

chocolate

Peanut Butter Cookies+ your favouritepeanut butter+salted roasted peanuts

Chocolate & HazelnutCookies

+ chocolatespread

+ toastedhazelnuts

you will need: method:

basic cookie recipe...

250g (8.8oz) butter, softened

140g (5oz) caster sugar

1 egg yolk

2 tsp vanilla extract

300g (10.5oz) plain flour

makes: about 30 cookies

prep time: 5 minutes

baking time: 15 minutes

This simple recipe for cookie dough can be adapted to suit your tastes- experiment with different shapes and flavours...Have fun!

Mix 250g (8.8oz) softened butter and 140g (5oz) caster sugar in a large bowl with a wooden spoon, then add 1 egg yolk and 2 tsp vanilla extract and briefly beat to combine.

Sift over 300g (10.5oz) plain flour and stir until the mixture is really well combined – you can get messy at the end and get your hands in at the end to give everything a good mix and press the dough together.

coffee kisses. coconut macaroon. biscotti. anzac biscuit. bath oliver. millionaire’s shortbread.

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Egg replacements. try mashing up a banana or mix ground flax seeds with water. experiment with different options to find a replacement that gives you the results you’re looking for in your bakes.

Aquafaba. the liquid in a can of chickpeas. this is another great alternative to eggs - roughly 3 tbsp of aquafaba replaces one egg in baking... don’t worry, any chickpea taste evaporates once cooked!

A lot of non-dairy milks can be sweetened or flavoured. the plain, un-sweetened varieties allow you to have more control and flexibility in your bakes when adding your own flavourings.

It’s important to consider the consistency of the non-dairy milk. soy milk is the most similar in consistency to cow’s milk. coconut milk is thicker and almond tends to be quite thin.

Coconut oil can be substituted one-to-one for margarine.

Honey is not vegan. you can easily substitute this - just replace it with an equal amount of maple syrup or agave syrup.

Egg substitutes:

vegan tips...

stevia. pure organic maple syrup. medjool dates. oat bran. ground flax. coconut flour. cacao.

1/2banana

4tbspsilkentofu

4tbspapplesauce

try in browniestry in cupcakes try in birthday cakes try in muffins

4tbspvegan

yoghurt

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puréed pumpkin. butternut squash. psyllium husks. apple cider vinegar. coconut oil.

you will need: method:

basic vegan banana bread recipe...

3–4 very ripe bananas (about 325g (11.4oz) peeled weight), mashed using a fork

100g (3.5oz) soft light brown sugar

300g (10.5oz) self-raising flour

100g (3.5oz) sultanas

1 tsp ground mixed spice

1 tsp baking powder

150ml (5fl oz) sunflower oil, plus extra for greasing

serves: 10

prep time: less than 30 minutes

baking time: 1-2 hours

Add some chopped pecan nuts if you like for a bit of crunch.

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Grease and line the base and sides of a 900g/2lb loaf tin with baking parchment.

Put the mashed bananas in a large bowl and add the sugar, flour, sultanas, pecan nuts (if using), mixed spice and baking powder.

Mix lightly with a wooden spoon until roughly combined, then add the oil and beat together well.

Spoon the cake batter into the prepared tin and smooth the surface. Bake for 55–60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out a little moist, but clean.

Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then carefully turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool for around an hour before serving.

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my cookie designs...

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my cupcake designs...

could you use these nozzles to decorate with?

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gingerbread man template

· trace around me · cut out· use as a template for your gingerbread men!

sam

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my gingerbread man designs

sam

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my baking checklist...

sam

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recipe

serves: baking time:

you will need: method:

sam

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recipe

serves: baking time:

you will need: method:

tips:

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baking successes / failures

recipe date

sam

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recipe date

recipe date

sam

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my bakery scrapbook...

bakery reviews. cafes i want to visit. menus. labels. souvenirs. bills. photographs.

sam

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napkins. recipes. cake decorations. flavour ideas. baking inspiration. packaging ideas.

sam

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