Farmersgirl Kitchen

Tuesday, 28 August 2012

Win an Eric Lanlard Hamper with Silver Spoon and Macmillan Cancer Support

On the 28^th of September this year the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning is going to be taking place. This is a fantastic one day fundraising event hosted by Macmillan Cancer Support to raise money for people with lives affected by cancer.

Silver Spoon, the homegrown sugar people, are the official sugar sponsor for the event, and this year have decided to launch a fantastic competition as part of their activity. On the 24^th August 2012 Silver Spoon and Macmillan are launching Silver Spoons Little Local Hero Awards. They are scouring the country for local heroes under the age of 18 who have done something truly special. Your local little hero could have looked after their little sister when they were ill, gone to great lengths to make Mother’s Day very special, or done something fantastic to raise money for charity.

If you know someone under 18 in your local area who you think would be a worthy winner, just follow this link and explain in less than 100 words who you are nominating, why, and what you would bake them to say thank you www.macmillan.org.uk/littlehero

Master Pâtissier Eric Lanlard, star of Channel 4’s Baking Mad with Eric Lanlard, will choose a Silver Spoon National Little Hero and to celebrate he will bake them a special cake of their choice! 10 runners up will also receive a Silver Spoon Baking Hamper packed full of exciting treats.

There are sure to be some amazing stories from our local little heroes all over the country, but in the meantime don’t forget to register to hold your own coffee morning on the 28^th September, just follow this link and you can help to raise money for people with lives affected by cancer. http://coffeeregister.macmillan.org.uk/2012/register.asp

We have a Macmillan coffee morning at work every year which I am singularly bad at finding time to bake for, mainly because it is generally at the end of the week and I do my baking at the weekend. However I do go along and EAT the cakes and make my donation. If you would like some inspiration for what to bake for The World's Biggest Coffee Morning, then pop over to the Round up of the Cake Stall Cakes and Bakes for Tea Time Treats at Lavender and Lovage. There were 68 entries, so there is bound to be something to suit your baking taste and ability.

Part One - Cake Stall Cakes and Bakes

Part Two - Cake Stall Cakes and Bakes

Tea Time Treats is run by Karen at Lavender and Lovage and Kate at What Kate Baked

Labels: competition, Eric Lanlard, Lavender and Lovage, Macmillan Cancer Support, Silver Spoon Sugar, Tea Time Treats, What Kate Baked, win, World's Biggest Coffee Morning

Monday, 5 March 2012

Maple Pecan Sticky Bars

On the 5^th March at 12:05pm on Channel 4 series two of Baking Mad with Eric Lanlard begins! This series sees Eric, the master of all things sweet and beautiful, at home in his kitchen conjuring up quick baking recipes alongside his signature glamorous desserts. Each 30 minute episode will also feature three members of the public who will come to his cookery school, Cake Boy, to demonstrate their baking skills and take part in a 'Bake Off'.

I was asked to try out one of the recipes from the new series and chose to make these Maple Pecan Sticky bars. The recipe is easy to follow and the result is a gloriously sticky sugar hit!

Maple Pecan Sticky Bars

Ingredients:

Filling

175g toasted pecan nuts, roughly chopped

100ml pure maple syrup

200g light muscovado sugar

1 tbsp. whipping cream

150g unsalted butter

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Base

100g unsalted butter, softened

75g golden caster sugar

1 egg yolk

175g plain flour

Method:

Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/Mark 4. Butter a 23x23x5cm cake tin.

To start, make the short crust pastry base. In a large bowl mix together the butter and sugar with your hands, and finally add the egg yolks and mix. Add the flour and beat until a soft dough is formed. Gather the dough together and press it into the bottom of the tin and 2cm up the sides. Bake for about 18-20 minutes, or until golden. Remove from the oven, but leave the oven on whilst you make the filling.

To make the filling; in a medium saucepan combine all the ingredients except the nuts and vanilla extract. Bring to the boil, stirring until the butter melts and the mixture is smooth. Boil for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat, then mix the nuts and vanilla extract.

Pour the hot filling over the crust and bake in the oven for about 15 minutes until the filling is bubbling in the centre.

Allow to completely cool in the tin where the filling will become firm, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours.

When chilled, cut into bars with a large sharp knife.

I didn't have a tin 23cm x 23 cm mine is more like 21cm, so my pastry is a tad too thick and I think I could have baked the filling for a little longer as the maple syrup started to ooze out when it was cut, however that just means I'll need to make it again!

I took some up to my son when I visited him in his flat and both he and his flat mate gave them the 'hollow-legged young man' seal of approval.

Labels: Baking Mad, Channel 4, Eric Lanlard, Maple, Pecan, traybakes

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Farmersgirl Kitchen

Tuesday, 28 August 2012

Win an Eric Lanlard Hamper with Silver Spoon and Macmillan Cancer Support

Monday, 5 March 2012

Maple Pecan Sticky Bars

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