Gingernut Cream Biscuits

This is a variation using my Easy Gingernut Biscuit recipe
It is sandwiched together with a orange and stem ginger buttercream.


Ingredients
http://12557keepcalmandbakeon.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/easy-gingernut-biscuits.html
80g butter
170g icing sugar
30g stem ginger, finely chopped
1/8 tsp orange essence
1 tbsp milk
Method
1) Prepare the dough as in the Easy Gingernut biscuit recipe.
2) Make the balls using a teaspoon. It should be flat when filled with the dough. Then roll it into a ball.
3) Space them well apart, then bake in the over for 10-12 minutes until golden.
4) Allow to cool completely.
5) Prepare the buttercream; beat all the buttercream ingredients together until smooth and creamy.
6) Pipe the desired amount onto the bottom of one of the biscuits and sandwich together with another. Repeat with each biscuit.
7) Finally ... ENJOY

Easy Gingernut Biscuits

This is a wonderfully simple recipe and is very easy to make. It is a particular favourite of my Dad's, although his excuse for asking me to make them is that he feels sick (he's such a fibber). 


Makes 24 
Ingredients
350g self-raising flour
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp bicarbonate soda
200g caster sugar
115g unsalted butter
85g golden syrup
1 medium egg
35g finely chopped and drained stem ginger
Method
1) Preheat the oven to 170 degrees C.
2) Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, ground ginger and sugar into a bowl.
3) Melt the butter and golden syrup in a saucepan, set aside until just warm.
4) Mix the butter mixture, egg and the stem ginger into the dry ingredients.
5) Roll the dough into wallnut sized balls and arrange them, well spaced, on a baking tray.
6) Bake for 15-20 minutes, until a dark golden brown.
7) Leave to cool on the baking trays for a few minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
8) Finally... ENJOY

Toffee Sauce

This makes a great toffee sauce which can be used as a sauce on ice cream and with other puddings, and can be used to fill cupcakes and can be mixed in with buttercream.


Ingredients
125g caster sugar
60ml water
60ml double cream
1tsp vanilla essence
Optional: For salted caramel add 1/4 tsp salt.


Method
1) Put the Sugar and water in a heavy bottomed saucepan on a low heat.  ( I have a stove which goes from 1-15, I had it on 8 initially but once it stated to colour I turned it down to 5 as a precaution)
2) Heat until it turns a dark gold colour (the colour of string tea), then remove from the heat.
3) Immediately add the cream. It will bubble vigourously and spit, but continue mixing until combined. 
4) Add the vanilla essence (and salt) and mix in.
5) Finally ...ENJOY

Chocolate-Coffee Buttercream

Serves 12
Ingredients

150g softened butter

250g icing sugar

25g cocoa powder

1 1/2 tbsp strong coffee

1 tbsp milk
Method

1) Whilst the cakes are cooling. Combine all the ingredients for the buttercream.

2) Start to mix them together using a wooden spoon. Once partially combined use a mixer to beat the ingredients until smooth. 

3) If the buttercream is too stiff for piping add a little more milk.

4) Once the cupcakes are cooled, pipe the buttercream on top and decorate.

5) Finally,  ENJOY.

Cinnamon Frosting

This can be converted to a honey cinnamon buttercream with the addition of 1 tbsp (or to taste) of runny honey to the mixture. 

Serves 24
For the frosting
250g icing sugar
250g butter, softened
Splash milk
1 tsp cinnamon
Method
1) Beat the butter, icing sugar, cinnamon and milk together until smooth. Add as much milk as is need to reach a piping consistency.
2) Pipe or spread the icing on the cake and then decorate.
3) Finally ... ENJOY

What to make ...?

Cake Day in my Chemistry class this Thursday !!! What should I make? Chocolate mint, chocolate banana, chocolate caramel or Chocolate Coffee? - yes there is a theme here, I gave up chocolate for lent and I'm still recovering from that loss.


Do you have any favourite combinations to recommend? Let me know :D I will post the recipe here soon, if it is successful.