Sweet treats for Mother’s Day
Your mum always needs spoiling but even more so during lockdown. Here are some treats to show her how much you care.
If you celebrate Mother’s Day and you’re lucky enough to be in a bubble with yours this weekend, here’s three ways to spoil her:
Berry and lime mini cakes
These individual cakes are delicious served warm or cold with a dollop of cream or yoghurt.
Makes 12
■ 320g butter, softened
■ 12⁄3 cups caster sugar
■ 3 limes, finely grated zest
■ 4 eggs
■ 2 1⁄4 cups flour
■ 1⁄2 cup ground almonds
■ 1 cup each: fresh blueberries, raspberries and blackberries or chopped strawberries
■ 1⁄2 cup long-thread coconut
Lime syrup:
■ 1 cup caster sugar ■ 1 ⁄ cup water 4 ■ 3 limes, juiced
Heat oven to 170 degrees Celsius. Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in lime zest then add the eggs one at a time, beating between each addition.
Sift over flour and add ground almonds. Fold gently into creamed mixture.
Divide mixture between 12 half-cup capacity baking cases; do not fill much more than halfway. Arrange berries and coconut over cake mixture.
Bake 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
While cakes are baking, make the syrup. Place sugar and water in a small saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer 2 minutes.
Remove from heat and add lime juice, mixing well. Allow to cool. When cakes are removed from oven and still hot, baste with syrup.
Cooled cakes will keep for up to a week in an airtight container. – Bernadette Hogg
White chocolate and rose petal mini cakes
Rose petals baked in a cake provide delicate flavour and a touch of whimsy and specialness.
Choose dark petals, as light blooms tend to turn brown when cooked, and cut off the bitter white heel at the base of each petal.
Alternatively you could add an extra 1⁄ cup of 2 chocolate chips, or fresh or frozen berries.
Makes 12
■ 125g butter, softened
■ 3⁄4 cup caster sugar
■ 2 eggs, lightly beaten
■ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
■ 2 cups self-raising flour
■ 1⁄2 cup buttermilk
■ 1 1⁄4 cups white chocolate chips (or bits) ■ 1 cup dark rose petals, trimmed (see above)
Frosting
■ 75g butter, softened ■ 2 1⁄2 cups icing sugar ■ Pink food colouring
Heat oven to 175C. Grease and line the base of 12 large muffin pans. Cream butter and sugar. Gradually beat in eggs and vanilla. Fold in flour alternately with buttermilk then fold in chocolate chips and rose petals.
Divide mixture between the pans and bake for 20 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean from the centre of a cake. Leave in tins for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Icing
Beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy (add a little hot water if necessary to make a smooth consistency). Add a few drops of pink food colouring, mixing well. Cover cakes with icing and decorate with baby sugared roses or fresh petals. – Bernadette Hogg
Butterscotch and coconut dumplings
Reminiscent of scone pudding, with its satisfying doughy base and sweet, creamy sauce, this is comfort food at its homely best.
Serves 6
Butterscotch sauce: ■ 50g butter
■ 1 cup brown sugar ■ 1 cup cream
■ 1 1⁄2 cups water
Coconut dumplings: ■ 125g butter, softened ■ 1⁄4 cup brown sugar ■ 11⁄2cups flour
■ 1 teaspoon baking powder ■ 1⁄2 cup shredded coconut ■ 1⁄4 cup milk
Heat oven to 175C fanbake. To make butterscotch sauce, combine the butter, brown sugar, cream and water in a large saucepan, stir until melted and smooth then simmer 2 minutes.
Meanwhile, make dumpling dough. Beat together butter and brown sugar until creamy (a wooden spoon is fine for this) then stir in sifted flour and baking powder. Fold together with coconut and milk to create a firm dough.
Pour hot butterscotch sauce into a large, deep baking dish (about 6-8 cup capacity). Shape dumpling dough into about 15 large golf ball-sized rounds and arrange in the hot sauce. Bake 20-25 minutes until dumplings are golden and firm. Serve pudding hot with icecream or pouring cream.
This pudding is best eaten soon after baking. It will keep for 2-3 days, but the dumplings will soak up the sauce, making the pudding heavier. – Jo Wilcox