Traditional Family Cakes [antikvár]

IntroductionFrom a simple jam-filled Victoria Sponge Cake to a moist and sticky iced Gingerbread, luscious Lemon Drizzle Cake or an indulgent Chocolate Gateau, nothing can beat the flavour of a home-made cake. The wonderful aroma that fills the air from a warm kitchen and the satisfaction of presenting your own creation to family or friends is so rewarding that it's no wonder that home baking is as popular now as it ever was.This book contains a collection of traditional cake recipes that are easy to make with clear instructions and simple icings and decorations. Whether it's a mid-morning coffee, afternoon tea, birthday treat or a special celebration, you'll find a cake to fit the occasion.The Basic IngredientsAs with any type of cooking it's worth buying good quality basic ingredients. For the best flavour, choose a lightly salted or unsalted butter. Soft margarine can be used instead of butter, but avoid.low-fat spreads as they have a high water content and an inferior taste.Always use the correct-sized egg. Unless specified, all the recipes in this book use medium eggs. Allow the eggs to come to room temperature for about 1 hour before using.Check that flours and raising agents are not past their sell-by date. Stale flour will impart an unpleasant taste and raising agents can lose their effectiveness resulting in a heavy textured cake.Caster sugar is the most popular sugar for cake making -its fine grains dissolve easily when creamed with butter. Tomake your own vanilla sugar, simply pop a vanilla pod in a container of caster sugar and leave for 5-6 days. Chocolate and darker fruit cakes are often made with soft brown sugars or unrefined muscovado sugar as they give a richer colour and flavour.Essential EquipmentAny reasonably equipped kitchen should have most of the basics needed for cake making - bowls, spoons, spatulas, a sieve and a wire rack for cooling. A good set of measuring scales to ensure accurate weighing is also essential and a handheld electric mixer will make light work of creaming and whisking.The only other major items lo buy are the appropriate-sized cake tins. You'll need a range of shapes and sizes so you'll probably have to build up your collection gradually. Whenbuying, pick sturdy cake tins that will last - flimsy tins may buckle quickly and have to be replaced. If you buy tins with a non-stick coating, take care not to scratch the lining with metal utensils. Always wash tins thoroughly after use and place in a warm oven to dry out completely before putting away An alternative to metal tins is to try flexible non-stick silicone bakeware - you'll find a good range of shapes, sizes and colours and they are easy to use and clean.