Modern Classics Book 2

                               

Off the shelf

baking book reviews

 

Modern Classics Book 2  Donna Hay 192 pages Paperback

Donna Hay has the ability to turn the simple into the sublime, flick through the pages in Modern Classics Book 2 Donna Hay's baking book and you'll know what I mean. Gorgeous photography and styling accompany a beautiful collection of baking favourites, all with that unmistakable Donna Hay modern twist the world has come to love. 

The book is divided into the following sections;

Cookies, biscuits and slices

Small cakes

Cakes

Desserts

Hot puddings

Pies & tarts

Step by step concise instructions guide you through, doughnuts to crème caramel, muffins to soufflé. Learn how to make a butter cake, whip up a sponge, churn yourself a bowl of ice-cream, bake a sugary pastry.   

Step by step instructions lead you through to the finished result

The layout with suggested variations on recipes make it an ideal book for beginner bakers, or for the more experienced cook, who doesn't need a recipe for the perfect simple lemon cake? 

Being Australia Day today it's good to see the traditional Aussie classics are included, pavlova, lamingtons, anzac biscuits and "yum" friands! I baked the blueberry friands (pictured top) from the friands recipe page 46 of Modern Classics Book 2.

Blueberry Friands

Preheat oven 180C (350F)

Muffin or friand tin 

Ingredients

125g (4oz) butter

1 cup almond meal

1 2/3 cups icing (confectioners) sugar

3/4 cup plain (all purpose) flour, sifted

1/2 tsp of baking powder

5 egg whites

1/3 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Method

Melt the butter in a small saucepan, over low heat until it changes colour to a light golden brown. Set aside.

Put the almond meal, icing sugar, flour and baking powder in a bowl and stir until combined. Add egg white & stir to combine. Add butter and stir to combine. Spoon 2 tablespoons of mix into 10 of the greased or paper lined muffin cups. Sprinkle with blueberries. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden and springy but moist in the centre. 

I sprinkled mine with icing sugar, I sometimes add one tsp of lemon zest to the recipe for lemon blueberry friands. 

Modern Classics Book 2 will quickly become a favourite with it's home-style, easy & stylish recipes. Excellent tools & glossary sections will further assist beginner bakers and delicious recipes will tempt bakers of all levels!

All in all, a worthy addition to any bakers shelf.

Available in Oz from all leading bookstores and online from Donna Hay's official site.

Elsewhere

HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY!!

Christmas Friands

                     Pistachio & Raspberry Christmas Friands

Friand
Small moist oval café cake popular in Australia and New Zealand.

Not related to the French friand which is puff pastry wrapped around sausage meat, what Australians would call a 'sausage roll'.

But rather they seem to originated from the French financier tea cake.

Made mainly of nut-meal, usually almond, though other nuts such as walnut, pistachio & macadamia can be used. Friands often have fruit or chocolate added to them. 

So popular in Australia that McDonalds sell them.McDonalds *Gluten free Chocolate & Gluten free Raspberry Friands

Pistachio & Raspberry Christmas Friands

Ingredients

1 cup (140g)  *lightly toasted unsalted pistachios (4.95oz)
I cup of raspberries 
6 egg whites
185g butter (6.5oz)
1 1/2 cups  (240g) sifted icing sugar (confectioners sugar 8.5oz) 
1/2 cup (75g) plain flour (all purpose 2.6oz)
I tsp of vanilla

Preheat oven to 180c (356F) Line 12 hole tin with paper cases. I used a friand tin, but you could use a muffin tin.

Method

Process cup of pistachios (less one tablespoon) in a food processor until finely ground. Cut the remaining pistachios into slivers.

Cook butter in a small saucepan until a golden brown colour (it should smell nutty). Set aside to cool.

Place egg whites in a medium bowl, whisk lightly until combined. Add cooled butter, icing sugar, flour, pistachios & vanilla, stir until combined. Stir in raspberries.

Divide mixture between papers in tray. Bake about *20-25 minutes. 

Stand in tray 5 minutes before turning out on to a cooling rack to cool.  

Dust with icing sugar to serve. 

Keep in sealed container up to three days.

Notes*
Lightly toast raw pistachios by stirring them in a dry pan over medium-low heat for a minute or two. 

The cakes should be moist; due to differing oven/tins/case sizes just check a few times towards the end of the baking period as to not overbake.

The small amount of flour in friands means they are an ideal "convert to gluten free" recipe, replace flour with gluten free flour of choice.