Molasses Crumb Cakelets Rose's Alpha Bakers

molasses crumb cakelets 'The Baking Bible'

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Golden Syrup is treacle, black molasses is a treacle and yes, "treacle" is a umm "treacle'. For today's Molasses cakes I'm using treacle... confused? Lol, sometimes it's like that baking from country to country. Lets look to Wikipedia for 'Treacle is any uncrystallised syrup made during the refining of sugar.' 

treacle and golden syrup are acidic and that acidity reacts with the bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) in the recipe resulting in your cakes rising. 

treacle comes in different grades from a bitter black molasses to the usually charcoal filtered mellower and sweeter tasting golden syrup.

Today's molasses cakelets are the same type of cake that in Australia your Nana baked using recipes left over from "harder times" where you may not have had eggs, butter and the like but always seemed to have a supply of treacle for cakes and puddings.  UK chefs still bake up a range of treacle baked treats, including treacle tart (golden syrup with loads of fresh lemon zest) to cocoa rich treacle cakes. Nut and date fruit loaves are still sold in supermarkets in Australia, egg and butter free they are vegan like today's cakes.

I still bake these for my Dad, spiced date fruit loaves made in the distinct round sealed end pipe pans. 

And you know who else knew all about treacle? The dormouse of course in Alice in Wonderland speaking of the three girls young girls living in the treacle well----

`What did they live on?' said Alice, who always took a great interest in questions of eating and drinking.

`They lived on treacle,' said the Dormouse

These cute molasses cakelets are quick to make and are perfect for an Alice in Wonderland themed afternoon tea, as part of a high tea or served warm smeared with butter and a strong cuppa on Sunday afternoon. They are quite sweet, so try serving with lemon tea to balance the flavour.   

A quick batter to prepare, a sugar, oil, flour mixture has some removed and set aside to become the crumb topping. Treacle was added to remaining mix with bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) and boiling water.

Into a jug for easy pouring into prepared mini muffin tins.

Reserved "crumb" mixture tops the cake batter, baked for eight minutes.

Slightly springy (usual for this type of cake) at first bite, gives way to soft and fluffy interior.  

Happy Baking :) 

Would I bake again?  yes, can't have enough quick pantry recipes... bonus they are vegan. 

Would I change anything?  The sugar crumble, I wouldn't use it every time as it adds more sweetness than I prefer. I would freeze the topping mix to be added to oat fruit crumble topping and dip the tops of the small cakes into dark chocolate instead. Citrus zest and spices could also be added to the cake batter for a change or nut/choc chips/dried fruit would also work. 

How it works... now I've joined the fabulous existing alpha bakers, once a month I will post about what I have baked from Rose Levy Beranbaum's 'The Baking Bible'. This won't include the recipe due to copyright and publisher restrictions however, I will be posting how it went and photos of making/baking the gorgeous baked goods.

The Baking Bible  available from Amazon and all discerning book retailers. 

You might also be interested in gingerbread custard icecream. 

Liquid Sweeteners & Syrups

                                                          Golden Syrup

Liquid sweeteners and syrups are often used in your baking and candy making, today a quick look at the most popular.

                             a selection of liquid sweeteners

                                      Treacle

Treacle is a twice boiled syrup made from a by-product produced in the process of refining sugar cane.

Treacle is called Molasses in the US. However, black strap molasses (the same syrup boiled a third time during processing) is called Black Strap Molasses in the US, UK & Oz. 

If you love Harry Potter, you will know 'Treacle Tart' is his favourite dessert, but treacle tart is not made from treacle... it's made from Golden Syrup (see below).

Availability in Australia: Common, most supermarkets carry treacle. Black Strap Molasses is available in health food stores. 

                             Golden Syrup

Golden syrup is the syrup produced in the process of refining sugar cane. The first boiling in production produces the light coloured syrup, which is a variety of treacle.

The essential ingredient for Treacle Tart in the UK and in Australia for our national biscuit (cookie) the ANZAC.

Golden Syrup can be replaced by honey in recipes, though this will alter the flavour. Golden Syrup has a distinct "lightly burnt sugar" taste. 

Availability in Australia: Common, all supermarkets carry Golden Syrup

                                Glucose Syrup

Glucose Syrup is a clear thick sugar syrup and a purer form of corn syrup (see below). Glucose syrup is derived from honey, fruits (usually grapes) and some vegetables.

Used in your confectionary work to help prevent crystallisation of sugar.

In most cases you can substitute light corn syrup. 

Availability in Australia: Common, most supermarkets carry glucose syrup.

                            Corn Syrup

Corn syrup is a glucose syrup derived from corn with some additives. Karo Light Corn Syrup is the most popular brand and has according to the manufacturer 'is a mixture of corn syrup and high-fructose corn syrup , flavored with salt and vanilla'. Also available as Dark Syrup. 

There has been some bad press coming out of the US about corn syrup, it seems to be focused around obesity and the use of corn syrup in processed food. Any of liquid sweeteners mentioned today will cause obesity if over consumed. For anyone following a healthy diet & limiting processed foods the occasional consumption of corn syrup isn't a problem. 

Corn syrup is used to help prevent the crystallisation of sugar in candy/sugar work, in frostings & some desserts.

Availability in Australia: Difficult, some supermarkets do carry it, otherwise you will have to hunt it out at delicatessens & speciality grocers. Consider substituting for glucose syrup if unobtainable.

                                 Honey

Honey a sweet syrup food produced most commonly by Honey Bees. Most honey in Australia is mixed honey, however do try single varieties of honey in your baking for a flavour treat. Clover leaf honey is the best mild tasting honey for baking.

With the same relative sweetness as sugar, honey adds a distinct flavour to your baking. Cakes containing honey brown more quickly.

Availability in Australia: Common for mixed honey, single variety honeys are available in some supermarkets, speciality food stores & farmers markets will often have varieties such as lavender honey.

                           Maple Syrup

Maple Syrup is a thin sweetener syrup made from the sap of maple trees. Most commonly used on pancakes, waffles & in desserts.

Availability in Australia: Limited to good, pure maple syrup is in some supermarkets... it's usually always CAMP brand. Avoid the less expensive artificial syrups, the flavour is not comparable.