My 365 Cakes in 365 Days Challenge

My cake challenge 365 Cakes / 365 Days ended successfully on 22 August! This blog has not been up-to-date for some time but at least I have posted all pictures in The Cat Hairy Baker facebook page.  

This blog has indeed been very quiet for a looong time.That is why I was so amazed when I bumped into this feature by Paul McLoughlin on Savour.ie a week ago! And so amazed I was that I finally finished my 365 Cakes in 365 Days video and uploaded it into Youtube today. If nothing else, please enjoy it for the time being.

PS I haven't stopped baking, I still bake nearly a cake a day. The posts may make a comeback or not in the future. To be seen. In the meantime I would like to wish you all Happy Christmas Time!

Dublin Donuts v. 1.0

Dublin Donuts, version 1.0.

TBC.

Cake #218 - Orange Madeleine Cakes

Easter Monday Treat - Petites Madeleines à l’orange.

Madeleine Cakes have become one of my absolute favourite quick treats. They are effortless but still sophisticated and so tasty. This time I spiced the batter with grated orange zest and fresh orange juice.

Orange Madeleine Cakes (makes 24)

2 eggs
100 ml sugar
150 ml plain flour
3/4 ts baking powder
2 tbsp fresh orange juice
2 tsp grated orange rind
75 g butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 200 C and grease Madeleine moulds.
2. Beat together eggs and sugar.
3. Mix flour with baking powder and add to the egg-sugar mix together with melted butter, orange juice and rind.
4. Fill Madeleine moulds about 3/4 full and bake in 200 C for 8-10 minutes.
5. Remove carefully from moulds and sieve icing sugar on top. Serve fresh

Hot Cross Buns

Traditional Irish Hot Cross Buns.

Recipe is from here and there is a bit of history and tradition explained, too!

Cake #217 - Smoked Salmon Cheesecake

Savoury Easter Feaster - Smoked Salmon Cheesecake.

Smoked Salmon Cheesecake

Base
200 g Finncrisp Original Sour Rye Crisp Bread, ground
100 g butter, melted

Filling
400 g cream cheese
200 g creme fraîche
100 g smoked salmon, finely chopped
1-2 pickled dill cucumbers, finely chopped
lemon pepper, black pepper
6 gelatine leaves
juice of 1 lime
2 egg whites

Garnishing
100 g smoked salmon, lime wedges, fresh dill

1. Mix the breadcrumbs and melted butter together and press firmly on the base of a springform pan covered with baking parchment. Put in the fridge while you make the filling.
2. Soak the gelatine leaves in water for 5 minutes.
3. Mix together cream cheese, creme fraîche, chopped salmon and pickled dill cucumber, and season with pepper to taste.
4. Heat the lime juice together with the gelatine leaves in microwave so that the gelatine leaves melt. Add to the cream cheese mix.
5. Whip the egg whites until stiff and  fold them very gently into the cheese mixture trying to keep it ‘airy’.
6. Pour the filling on the crust and chill in the fridge for at least three hours until firm.
7. Remove the firm cake from the pan very, very carefully on a serving plate and decorate it with smoked salmon strips, dill, lime wedges, red onion...
8. Serve with salad as appetizer or enjoy with your afternoon coffee or even brunch.

Cake #216 - Ferrero Rocher Cake

Sweet Easter Feaster - Ferrero Rocher Cake with Nutella Cream.

Ferrero Rocher Cake with Nutella Cream

Sponge
175g self-raising flour
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
150g caster sugar
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
150 g butter, melted
150 ml milk
2 tbsp syrup

1. Preheat the oven to 175 C and grease and flour a 22 cm cake pan.
2. Mix together all ingredients and beat well.
3. Pour batter into pan and bake in the oven for about 40 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.

Filling and Garnishing
300 ml fresh cream, whipped
4 tbsp Nutella
1 tsbp sugar

50 g chopped and roasted hazelnuts
Ferrero Rocher Chocolates

To compile
Cut the cool sponge into two halves. Mix together the whipped cream, Nutella and sugar and spread 1/3 on the bottom layer. Place second layer on top. Cover cake with the rest of the Nutella cream. Sprinkle chopped hazelnuts on sides and place Ferrero Rocher chocolates on top.

To make the Happy Easter sign, melt some dark chocolate and pipe the text with white chocolate.

Cakes #214 and #215 - Traditional Easter Cakes

Traditional Easter Cakes.

#214 Kulich
#215 Pasha

Both of these are traditional Easter cakes in Finland and both are Eastern / Russian / Orthodox origin.

There are several recipes and variations to make these and families have often their secret recipes, too.

To make the Kulich, I used this recipe.

For Pasha, see this recipe. Pasha is best when made of quark (I recommend not to use any other cheese!), which is widely available in Ireland, too. Even Tesco has their own brand quark.