Recipes: Fiona Cairns

Fiona Cairns Sticky Toffee Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Buttercream

Makes 12 cupcakes

Everybody’s favourite pudding brought bang up to date as a cupcake with salted caramel buttercream. There are two alternative toppings: the first involves making a caramel, the second, simply opening a jar of dulche de leche. The choice is yours, though the former will give a pleasing bitter edge. If you prefer an unsalted caramel buttercream, omit the salt and use unsalted butter.



For the cupcakes
180g dates, pitted and chopped
1 tsp vanilla extract
180g Homepride self-raising flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
80g unsalted butter, softened
150g light muscovado sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten

For the buttercream (caramel method)
125g white caster sugar
80ml double cream
½ tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract

OR (dulce de leche method)
3 or 4 tbsp dulche de leche
½ tsp sale
1 tsp vanilla extract
160g salted butter, softened
200g icing sugar

Special equipment
12 cupcake cases
Nylon piping bag (optional)
Medium or large star nozzle (optional)

Method
Preheat the oven to 180C / fan 170C / 350F / gas mark 4. Place the paper cupcake cases into a cupcake tin. In a heatproof bowl, pour 180ml boiling water over the dates and leave them to soak for 20 minutes.

Then with a fork gently break up the dates and stir in the vanilla extract. Sift the flour and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl and set aside. Cream together the butter and sugar for a good five minutes until very light and fluffy.

Add the eggs gradually, beating between each addition and slipping in 1 tbsp flour about half way through to prevent curdling.

Lastly, fold in the remaining flour and then the date mixture. Spoon into the cupcake cases and bake for 15 – 20 minutes (the tops should spring back when pressed with a finger). Remove and leave to cool.

Meanwhile, make the buttercream. To make the caramel, dissolve the sugar and 60ml water in a small, solid-based ban over a gentle heat, then increase the heat to a boil.

Wait a few minutes, leaving the pan undisturbed but watching it like a hawk and, as soon as it changes to a wonderful caramel colour (like strong tea) and is thicker, remove immediately from the heat, stand well back, and add the cream. Be very careful as it is searing hot and it may splatter a little. It will react, or ‘seize’, and you may think it has gone wrong; it hasn’t.

Keep stirring, adding the salt and the vanilla. Leave until stone cold. If using dulche de leche, simply mix it with the salt and vanilla. Cream the butter and icing sugar for at least five minutes in an electric mixer (or use a handheld mixer) and add the caramel or the dulche de leche. Put the buttercream into the piping bag fitted with the star nozzle and pipe it on to the cakes, or spread it on with a palette knife.

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Fiona Cairns Allergen-free Chocolate Cake

Serves 12

Those with food allergies and intolerances have birthdays, celebrations and baking fundraisers too! This is egg, dairy and nut-free, but is a really dark, moist, quite fragile chocolate cake for everyone to enjoy.


Ingredients
140ml sunflower oil, plus more for the tins
360g Self-raising flour
60g cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
400g golden caster sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 tsp white wine vinegar
400g raspberries
Icing sugar, to dust

Method
Preheat the oven to 170°C/fan 160°C/340°F/gas mark 3. Oil two 23cm cake tins and line the bases with baking parchment.

In a large bowl, sift together the Homepride flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Stir in the sugar. In another bowl, measure the oil, 400ml water and vanilla extract, and then add to the flour mixture, stirring in the vinegar last of all.

Pour the batter into the prepared tins and bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a skewer emerges clean.

Leave the cakes in the tins for a few minutes, and then run a knife around the rims and turn out on to a wire rack. Remove the baking parchment and leave to cool completely.

Put one cake on a cake stand or serving plate, and top with most of the raspberries. Place the other cake on top, and scatter with the remaining raspberries. Sift over an even layer of icing sugar to serve.

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Fiona Cairns Giant Jam Sandwich Biscuits

You can freeze this dough, or make the biscuits a day ahead. Dust with icing just before serving. Makes three 15cm biscuits.


Ingredients
250g Homepride plain flour, plus plenty to dust
50g cornflour
100g icing sugar, plus more to dust
250g unsalted butter, softened and diced
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 tbsp strawberry jam, lemon curd, or caramel spread

Special equipment
15cm baking tin or plate
5cm heart-shaped cutter

Paintbrush Method
Preheat the oven to 170C / fan 160C / 340F / gas mark 3 ½ .

In a large bowl, sift the Homepride flour, cornflour and icing sugar together. Rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles crumbs. Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract.

Gently bring the mixture into a ball, wrap in cling film and rest in the fridge for 30 minutes or so, as this buttery biscuit dough is very soft and needs to firm up.

On a very well-floured board, with the floured rolling pin, roll out half the dough to 4mm thick. If the dough is too soft to work with, place the board of rolled-out dough into the fridge to firm up for 30 minutes or so.

Cut out three circles at a time using a 15cm baking tin or plate as a guide. Repeat with the remaning dough. Cut a heart shape from the centre of three of the biscuits.

Place the biscuits on two or three baking sheets lined with baking parchment and, using the end of a paintbrush, make a pattern all around the edges. Rest in the fridge or at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Bake for 12 – 15 minutes, re-cut the central hearts straight away if necessary, and cool on the baking tray. Don’t try to move them until they’re cold!

If you are using jam and it is not smooth, warm it slightly in a small pain, then press through a sieve to remove any lumps. Let it cool completely. Spread 2 tbsp jam on to each of the whole biscuits, and dust those with heart-shaped holes with icing sugar. Place the tops of the biscuits on the bases.

More recipes can be found at: www.wallaceandgromitcharity.org/event/wallace-gromits-big-bake