Author: BKC Mike

Pecan Pie

Pecan Pie

This pie is classic American favourite and homemade Pecan Pie is one of the most satisfying recipes of all time. This recipe will make it as easy as possible for you…

Focaccia Bread

Focaccia Bread

Italian focaccia bread is a flat-bread topped with various herbs, olive oil, and baked to perfection. This recipe simplifies the dough making process, step-by-step, utilising the flavour of rosemary and tomatoes. The results are truly amazing.

Mini Pineapple Upside-Down Cakes

Mini Pineapple Upside-Down Cakes

I know what you’re probably thinking… pineapple upside down cake? It’s such an old fashioned recipe, who makes that anymore?.. Well, I do!.. I tweaked my original recipe so that everyone can have their own individual cake (instead of a slice from a large traybake, which tends to be the norm for this recipe) and was honestly so happy with the results!

The Baking Life - Mini Pineapple Upside-Down

Mini Pineapple Upside-Down Cakes

BKC Mike
A tweaked version of my original recipe so that everyone can have their own individual cake (instead of a slice from a large traybake) and was honestly so happy with the results!
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
Course Sweet
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

  • 100 g soft dark brown sugar
  • 1 tsp golden syrup
  • 100 g self raising flour
  • 100 g caster sugar
  • 150 g butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tin pineapple slices (8 rings)
  • 30 ml juice from the pineapple rings tin
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence
  • 8 glace cherries

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven 180°C.
  • Lightly grease a cupcake (or muffin) pan.
  • In a medium bowl melt 50g of the butter, using a microwave (stirring at 10 second intervals).
  • Add the brown sugar and golden syrup to the melted butter and mix until the sugar has dissolved.
  • Place a teaspoon of the brown sugar mix into 8 of the of the cupcake cups.
  • Cut ⅓ (it may be more or less, depending on the size of your pan cups) from each of the pineapple rings and place them in the bottom of each pan cup, on top of the brown sugar.
  • Place a cherry in the middle of each pineapple ring.
  • In another bowl whisk together the caster sugar and butter, until light an fluffy, then add in the pineapple juice and vanilla essence and mix some more.
  • Then add the flour and eggs to the butter and mix until just combined.
  • Finally, top up each of the 8 cups with the batter until almost full.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a cocktail stick poked in a cake comes out clean from batter/cake.
  • Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
  • Using a butter knife, loosen the cakes inside the pan. Place a cooling rack upside down on the top of the pan, and in one motion flip both the rack and pan upside down onto a large baking sheet to catch any drippings.
  • Wait for another 5 minutes. Lift the pan slowly and the cakes will come out.
Keyword cakes, caramel, cherry, individual, mini, pineapple, sweet, upside-down
Millionaires Shortbread

Millionaires Shortbread

This crumbly rich shortbread, with delicious gooey caramel, and chocolate topping make for a moreish mouthful. 10 minutes to make and to top it off it’s a NO BAKE recipe!

Cherry Bakewell Bake

Cherry Bakewell Bake

With this weeks recipe I take the classic cherry Bakewell tart recipe and make it into a tray bake! A golden layer of shortcrust pastry filled with an almond cake, strawberry jam, and topped with icing and glacé cherries!

Easy Monkey Bread

Easy Monkey Bread

Monkey Bread, also known as puzzle bread, pull-apart bread, or, as we like to think of it, “get in my mouth” bread. Originally this retro american ‘50s recipe is made using the american ‘biscuit dough’, here I have used the UK equivalent – scone dough. This recipe is sweet, gooey and decadent, and, best of all, truly the easiest monkey bread recipe you will find!

The Baking Life - Easy Monkey Bread

Easy Monkey Bread

BKC Mike
Monkey Bread, also known as puzzle bread or pull-apart bread. This recipe is sweet, gooey and decadent, and, best of all, truly the easiest monkey bread recipe you will find!
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Course Sweet

Ingredients
  

  • 640 g scone mix
  • 275 ml semi skimmed milk
  • 200 g granulated sugar
  • 170 g butter melted
  • 150 g brown sugar
  • 50 g maple syrup
  • 3 tsp cinnamon

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven 180°C.
  • Prepare the scone mix, using the milk, as per instructions on the packet (but do not bake). Put the dough aside.
  • Add the granulated sugar and cinnamon to a resealable plastic ziplock bag, seal it, and shake until combined.
  • Separate the dough into 30-40 small balls, then add them to the bag and shake to coat.
  • Remove the dough pieces from the bag and arrange in a bundt pan.
  • Whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar and maple syrup, until the sugar has dissolved. Then pour it over the dough in the pan.
  • Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown and no longer doughy in the middle. 
  • Allow to cool for 5 minutes and serve warm.
Keyword dough, monkey bread, scones, sweet
Tomato Soup Cake

Tomato Soup Cake

I know what you’re thinking TOMATO SOUP IN A CAKE??? But, just trust me ok. This is based on a 1950’s recipe, that I’ve update for a more modern palate , which results in a super moist, bright orange cake/loaf that tastes similar to Carrot 

Mini Biscoff Cheesecake

Mini Biscoff Cheesecake

A delicious Biscoff based cheesecake, with an apple suprise to it and to add to it all… it’s a no-bake recipe.

Pembrokeshire Pie

Pembrokeshire Pie

This weeks recipe is something special, something local to me as I live in Pembrokeshire. A lot of people are unaware that Pembrokeshire has it’s own recipes, one of which is Pastai Penfro or Pembrokeshire Pies. These are individual pies, traditionally made with mutton, are now usually made with lamb. Here I’ve used the shortcut of ready-made pastry and once you have gathered together all the ingredients they are quite easy to make.

Pembrokeshire Pie

BKC Mike
A lot of people are unaware that Pembrokeshire has it’s own recipes, one of which is Pastai Penfro or Pembrokeshire Pies. These are individual pies, traditionally made with mutton, are now usually made with lamb.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 40 mins
Course Savoury

Ingredients
  

  • 620 g ready-made shortcrust pastry
  • 500 g minced lamb
  • 20 g currants
  • 110 g brown sugar
  • 340 g red currant jelly
  • ½ tsp dijion mustard
  • salt & pepper
  • 1 egg beaten

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 180°C.
  • Grease 6 small (4") but deep pie tins.
  • Turn out the pastry onto a lightly floured surface and, using a round cookie cutter, cut out and line the pie tins (leaving enough pastry for the lids).
  • In an oiled frying pan ‘brown’ the mince, then place in a large bowl.
  • Add the currants, sugar and mustard to the mince, season with salt and pepper and mix, to create the filling.
  • Divide the filling between the pies. Then, warm the redcurrant jelly slightly and spoon over the top.
  • Roll out the remaining pastry and cut out 8 lids, place them on the pies and seal with a little water. Using a fork, press the prongs around the edge of each pie to seal tighter.
  • Using a pastry brush, glaze each pie with the beaten egg. Then make a steam hole, using the tip of a sharp knife, in the middle of each pie.
  • Place all the tins on a baking tray and bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes, or until golden, then remove and allow to cool. Traditionally these pies are served cold.
Keyword lamb, pastry, pembrokeshire, pies, red currant, savoury
Dairy Free Cupcakes

Dairy Free Cupcakes

These Dairy Free Cupcakes are so light and fluffy that nobody would guess that they’re eggless and dairy free! They can also be made Gluten-Free just by changing the flour to the Free-From option of your choice.