Melt and mix … Bill Granger’s easy bake classics.
Baking Sweets made easy
Baking is its own delicious reward – especially when the classics are as easy as this. I love baking with my girls but sometimes getting the mixer out is just too much work. Melt and mix baking is the solution. Delicious!
Scones with sultanas
Melting the butter is an unusual technique to use for scones but it speeds up the process. I quickly combine the ingredients with a knife which keeps the mixture light.
1 tbsp icing sugar
310g plain flour
1 1/2 tbsp baking powder
pinch salt
60g sultanas
250ml milk
30g butter, melted
butter and jam, to serve
Preheat oven to 220ºC fan-forced (240ºC conventional). Grease a baking tray.
Sift icing sugar, flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Add sultanas and give a quick mix so fruit is evenly distributed. Add milk and butter and stir with a knife until just combined. Place dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead quickly and lightly until smooth, then press out to about 3cm thick.
Use a cutter or glass to cut 5cm-diameter rounds. Place close together on prepared baking tray. Gather dough scraps together, knead again and cut out more rounds. Cook for 10-12 minutes or until scones are puffed and golden. Serve with butter and jam.
+ Serve with tea.
Photo: Marina Oliphant
Glazed lemon lime cake
This sunny cake is perfect for a spring afternoon. Serve with a dollop of yoghurt to balance the sweetness.
300g flour
175g caster sugar
3 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
250ml buttermilk
2 eggs
125g butter, melted
1 tbsp finely grated
lemon zest
1 tsp vanilla extract
60ml lime juice
(from about 2 limes)
2 tsp finely grated lime zest
1 cup icing sugar
Preheat oven to 180ºC fan-forced (200ºC conventional). Grease and line a 20cm square cake tin.
Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk buttermilk and eggs together in a jug, and add to dry ingredients. Add melted butter, lemon zest and vanilla and fold into cake batter until just combined.
Spoon cake batter into prepared tin and smooth surface with the back of a spoon. Bake for 40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into centre of cake comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then carefully remove cake from tin and set aside on a wire rack to cool completely.
Meanwhile, place lime juice, lime zest and icing sugar in a bowl and stir until combined. Drizzle icing over cake and allow to stand for at least 1 hour before cutting into squares to serve.
+ Serve with fresh mint tea.
Photo: Marina Oliphant
Chocolate brownies
If you are new to baking, brownies are an easy recipe to start with. Just make sure you take them out of the oven while still gooey in the middle.
350g caster sugar
80g cocoa powder
60g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
4 eggs, lightly beaten
200g unsalted
butter, melted
2 tsp vanilla extract
200g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
Preheat oven to 160ºC fan-forced (180ºC conventional). Line a 22cm square baking tin with baking paper.
Place sugar, cocoa powder, flour and baking powder in a bowl and stir to combine. Add eggs, butter and vanilla and mix until combined. Then stir in chocolate.
Pour brownie batter into prepared baking tin and bake for 40-45 minutes.
Leave brownies to cool slightly in tin, then turn out onto a wire rack. When cool, cut into squares to serve.
+ Serve with coffee or milk.
