by Jane Brocket
STORAGE: This cake keeps well for up to 2 days if stored in a tin in a cool place.
In the world of vintage baking, one thing is very clear: a cake should never be judged on its looks, as the plainest offering can often turn out to be heart-stoppingly good. Yet there are also some fabulous fancy and frivolous cakes in pretty colours and shapes that woo us with their appearance and deliver a little mouthful of delicious indulgence. These are the treats you find beautifully, artistically and far too temptingly arranged in smart cake shops and pâtisseries; treats that are triumphs of daintiness and, seemingly, the province of the professional cake-maker. But this isn’t true; previous generations of home-bakers, who would never have countenanced buying cake from shops, knew that many fancies and frivolities can be made successfully and easily in any domestic kitchen. Although the recipes here are very straightforward, it’s hard not to bask in a sense of achievement in making such charming little treats that are more usually purchased. So muster your confidence, take your time and turn out a plateful of rich, boozy buns and sweet, honeyed madeleines or creamy éclairs that will bring delight to any sweet-toothed cake-lover.
fondant fancies
Fondant fancies are glossy, dainty squares that are the epitome of afternoon tea and pâtisserie poshness, and should undoubtedly be served with pretty doilies and floral bone china to complete the effect. They are a lot easier to make than you may imagine, and at home you are not obliged to use ladylike pastel shades. They add a touch of glamour and style to any party or celebration, and the colours and decoration can be adapted to suit the occasion.
FOR THE CAKES
180g soft butter
180g caster sugar
3 eggs
180g self-raising flour
a few drops of vanilla extract
1–2 tablespoons milk, to mix
FOR THE FILLING
75g soft butter
200g icing sugar
a few drops of vanilla extract
1–2 tablespoons milk, to mix
FOR THE ICING
700–800g fondant icing sugar
cold water, to mix
food colouring pastes
YOU WILL NEED
a 20cm square tin, lightly greased with butter and base lined with baking parchment
makes 20–25 fancies
1/ Preheat the oven to 180°C (gas mark 4). Put the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. With a wooden spoon or an electric whisk, cream them together until they are pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one by one, beating well each time.
2/ Add the flour, vanilla extract and a tablespoon of milk. With a large metal spoon or flexible spatula, fold in until you have a smooth mix, adding a little more milk if necessary to get a soft dropping consistency. Spoon the mixture into the cake tin and smooth the surface with the back of the spoon or spatula. Bake in the preheated oven for 35–40 minutes until well risen, golden brown, and a metal skewer or sharp knife inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
3/ Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool for a few minutes before turning out. Leave to cool completely, then trim the cake so that the edges and corners are neat, and carefully level the top. Cut the cake in half horizontally.
4/ Make the filling: put the butter in a bowl and sift in the icing sugar. Add the vanilla and 1 tablespoon milk. Mix well until you have a smooth, spreadable consistency, adding a little more milk if necessary. Spread the buttercream filling over the bottom layer of sponge and replace the top. With a sharp knife, cut the cake into 4 x 4 or 5 x 5 squares to make 16 or 25 cubes. Turn these upside down so that the sharpest corners are uppermost, and place well apart on a wire rack.
5/ To make the fondant icing, sift 700g fondant icing sugar into a large mixing bowl. Add a few drops of water at a time until you get a smooth icing that is thick enough to drip slowly from a spoon. Divide into 2 or more smaller bowls, depending on how many colours you want to use. With a toothpick, add a small amount of food colouring paste to each bowl and mix well.
6/ Place the wire rack on one side of a piece of baking parchment, which is twice the length of the rack. Ice the cakes by holding a spoonful of icing just above each cake, moving the spoon around to cover the corners and to encourage the icing to drip down the sides. Deal with a batch of cakes this way, then move the rack to the other half of the baking parchment so that you can scoop up the icing drips and reuse. Spoon more icing over any uncovered areas of the sponge cakes, using a wet finger help spread it. Once covered, leave the cakes to dry for 30 minutes before piping or spoon-drizzling lines of icing over the top.
STORAGE: Fondant fancies keep well for up to 2 days after making, stored in a tin.
macaroons
French macaroons (macarons) were popular in France long before the Parisian company Ladurée sandwiched two shells together with a sweet filling, creating the ultimate tea-salon fancy. Lately, macaroons have become a sophisticated treat, with pâtissiers vying to outdo one another with their creativity. As a result, macaroons are often viewed as difficult to make at home, which isn’t true; you just need to take your time, follow the instructions and not worry about perfect results.
FOR THE SHELLS
125g finely ground almonds
175g icing sugar
3 large egg whites
75g caster sugar
food colouring paste (optional)
SUGGESTED FILLINGS
macaroons can be filled in a variety of ways. Whipped cream with or without a little jam or fruit curd is a quick and easy filling. Alternatively, use a light buttercream (see below) or ganache (the topping on the Boston Cream Pie on page 165 would work well)
FOR THE FILLING
120–150g icing sugar
60–75g soft butter
flavouring, such as a little very strong cold coffee, a few drops of vanilla extract, or 1–2 dessertspoons lemon or orange curd
YOU WILL NEED
2 or 3 baking sheets, lined with baking parchment
a piping bag with 1cm plain nozzle OR medium-sized sealable plastic food bag
makes 30–40 shells, depending on size (15–20 macaroons when sandwiched together)
1/ Start by preparing the baking sheets. Line with baking parchment and, depending on the size of macaroon you want to make, and allowing for the fact they will expand, draw circles 3–4cm in diameter well apart on the sheets (such as 12 circles per sheet). Make sure the circles can be seen when the baking parchment is turned over, because if you pipe directly onto the drawn lines, the macaroons will pick up the markings.
2/ Prepare a piping bag with plain, 1cm nozzle. If you don’t have a piping bag, it is possible to pipe macaroons from a plastic food bag with one of the corners snipped off. Place your piping bag in a jug to make it easier to fill with mixture.
3/ If possible, grind the ground almonds in batches with the icing sugar until very fine. (This makes a huge difference to the smoothness of the mixture as many commercially ground almonds are not fine enough.) Sift the icing sugar and ground almonds into a large mixing bowl.
4/ In a separate, clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Add the caster sugar in 3–4 batches, whisking well after each addition until you have a glossy, satiny mix. If you are colouring your macaroons with food colouring paste, use a toothpick to add a small amount at this point until you get the shade you like. Spoon into the bowl holding the sugar and almonds.
5/ With a large metal spoon or flexible spatula, fold in gently until the mixture has a thick, smooth, creamy consistency. If you stop too soon, while there are still bubbles in the mix, you will have grainy-textured macaroons.
6/ Spoon the mix into the piping bag and pipe into circles on the prepared baking sheets. After piping, lift each sheet and, keeping it level, bring it down sharply on the work surface a couple of times in order to dislodge any bubbles of trapped air. Now leave the macaroons at room temperature for 20–30 minutes to form a ‘skin’. They are ready to go in the oven when you can touc
h them very lightly without any mix sticking to your fingertip. While the macaroons are sitting, preheat the oven to 160°C (gas mark 3).
7/ When ready, bake in the preheated oven for 10–15 minutes until the macaroons have risen and are firm and dry on top: exact timing will depend on the size of your macaroons (10–12 minutes for 3cm and 12–15 minutes for 4cm). Transfer to a wire rack to cool. When cool, carefully lift off the paper with a palette knife or fish slice. At this point, the macaroons can be stored in an airtight tin in a cool place for several days if necessary.
8/ When you are ready to serve them, make the filling. Sift 120g of the icing sugar into a mixing bowl and add 60g of the butter. Mix well, adding more butter or icing sugar according to taste. Add your chosen flavouring, and a little milk if necessary to give a smooth, spreadable consistency (milk won’t be necessary if you are using lemon curd).
9/ Sandwich the shells together with the filling. Use a knife to spread the filling on one shell. Place the second shell on top and very gently push down and twist the top a little to give a smooth edge to the filling. STORAGE: Once filled, macaroons keep well for a couple of days in the fridge, but they should be brought up to room temperature before serving.
french madeleines
The French madeleine is one of the world’s most famous cakes, forever associated with Proust, the town of Commercy (which is the centre of commercial madeleine production), and its distinctive scallop shape formed by the special baking tin. The recipe calls for the sponge mixture to have two periods of ‘resting time’ and it really is worth allowing for these as they make an enormous difference to the taste and texture.
FOR THE CAKES
125g butter, plus extra for greasing
100g icing sugar, plus extra for dusting
40g ground almonds
40g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
3 egg whites
1-2 teaspoons clear, runny honey
½ teaspoon salt
grated zest of ½ a lemon (optional)
YOU WILL NEED
a madeleine tin (to make
10–12 madeleines)
makes 10–12 madeleines (depending on the size of the madeleine tin moulds)
1/ Begin by making a simple beurre noisette, which will give a subtle nutty flavour. Melt the butter in a heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat until it starts to boil. Sizzle gently for 2–3 minutes until it has darkened slightly in colour and has a nice nutty scent. Do not let it turn dark brown and burn. Strain through a fine sieve and set aside to cool.
2/ Sift the icing sugar, ground almonds and flour into a medium-sized bowl (one that can fit into the fridge). Using a fork, whisk the egg whites into the dry mix. Next, add the honey and continue to whisk. Pour in the beurre noisette (which should be warm, not hot), add the salt and lemon zest and mix well.
3/ Cover the bowl tightly with clingfilm and leave the mixture to rest in the fridge for 1 hour (longer will not hurt it).
4/ Prepare the madeleine tin. It is worth making the effort as this prevents the madeleines sticking and makes it easier to remove them from the mould when they are cool without spoiling the pretty ridges and shape. With a pastry brush, grease each mould with melted butter. Now lightly dust them with flour by sifting a little over the moulds, tapping the sheet gently and tipping out any excess flour.
5/ Spoon the mixture into the moulds, filling each one to just under the level of the tin and return to the fridge for 30 minutes to rest again. While the madeleines are resting, preheat the oven to 160°C (gas mark 3).
6/ Bake in the preheated oven for 10–15 minutes or until well risen, visibly cooked in the centre, yellow-gold in the middle and brown round the edges. Transfer to a wire rack. Leave to cool for a few minutes before turning out of the tin. Dust lightly with icing sugar, and eat while fresh and warm.
STORAGE: Homemade madeleines are at their best on the day of making, but taste fine the next day – just not as good.
cook’s tip
Allow 2 hours for making if you are planning to serve the madeleines ultra-fresh. Most of this is resting time in the fridge, not making time.
The French madeleine might bring back spiritual, Proustian memories of lost time, but just one look at a tray of English madeleines will evoke memories of childhood and visits to local bakeries that proudly displayed their different dainties and fancies on certain days of the week. They are a real blast from the past, and a delight to make at home, where children will enjoy getting their fingers sticky before discovering the taste of an old-fashioned treat. English madeleines get their tall, flat-topped, conical shape from dariole moulds, but can just as easily be baked in deep muffin tins or little pudding bowls.
english madeleines
FOR THE CAKES
130g soft butter
130g caster sugar
2 eggs
a few drops of vanilla extract (optional)
130g self-raising flour
scant ½ teaspoon baking powder
1–2 tablespoons milk, to mix
TO FINISH
3–4 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam (or any red jam)
desiccated coconut (about 80g or a couple of handfuls)
TO DECORATE
half a glacé cherry and, if available, a candied angelica leaf or two per madeleine
YOU WILL NEED
a few dariole moulds or pudding moulds, greased with butter (the madeleines shown were made in dariole moulds measuring 6.25cm high, 5.5cm across the top and 4cm across the base)
1 baking sheet
makes 9–12 madeleines (depending on the size of the moulds)
1/ Line the base of each mould with a small disc of baking parchment. Preheat the oven to 180°C (gas mark 4).
2/ Put the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. With a wooden spoon or an electric whisk, cream them together until they are pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one by one, and a few drops of vanilla extract (if using), beating well each time.
3/ Sift in the flour and baking powder and fold in gently with a large metal spoon. Add 1 tablespoon of milk to give a soft dropping consistency, or more if needed.
4/ Spoon the mixture into the moulds, filling each one about two-thirds full. Place the moulds on a baking sheet, and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until well risen and golden brown.
5/ Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool until the moulds can be handled with ease. Gently turn the cakes out of the moulds and remove the parchment. Stand upright and leave to cool completely. Make a second batch if there is mixture leftover.
6/ When the cakes are completely cool, trim the bases so that they are flat, and the cakes can stand upright and are all more or less the same height.
7/ Put the jam in a saucepan and warm very gently over a low heat until it has melted. If you do not have seedless jam, pass the jam through a sieve at this point to remove seeds and pulp. Spread a handful or so of desiccated coconut onto a plate or board.
8/ With a pastry brush, glaze the madeleines with warm jam. Gently roll each one in the coconut to cover. Stand upright on a cake plate or stand, and decorate each one with half a glacé cherry and an angelica leaf or two (if using).
STORAGE: Eat within a day or two and store in an airtight tin in a cool place.
cook’s tip
If you don’t have enough moulds to make all the madeleines in one batch, allow the first batch to cool, wash, re-grease and re-line the moulds, and make a further batch or two.
meringues
While the purists may argue that a meringue is not a cake, it is undoubtedly one of the most delightfully frivolous treats a home-baker can whip up in a domestic kitchen. They have been made for several centuries, and are particularly associated with French pâtisseries. As such, meringues are often viewed as tricky to make, yet nothing could be further from the truth, as the method is simplicity itself.
FOR THE MERINGUES
3 egg whites
180g caster sugar (unrefined gives the best me
ringues, but if you are planning on using food colouring, pure white caster sugar is better)
food colouring paste, if you are tinting your meringues (e.g. pink or green)
TO SERVE
250ml double cream, whipped so that it is billowing
fresh raspberries or strawberries
YOU WILL NEED
1 or 2 baking sheets, lined with baking parchment.
NOTE: do not use greaseproof paper as meringues stick to it. Mark 6cm circles spaced apart on the parchment if you need a guide for shape and size
makes 16 individual meringues (8 total when sandwiched with cream)
1/ Preheat the oven to 120°C (gas mark ½).
2/ Put the egg whites into a large, very clean mixing bowl. Stir gently a few times with a fork. Now whisk with an electric mixer until soft peaks form when the whisk is lifted out of the bowl. Do not worry too much about the difference between soft and stiff – as long as your eggs are peaking nicely. Do not over-whisk. If in doubt, stop.
3/ Tip in half the sugar and continue whisking at full speed. After a short while, the mixture will become glossy and shiny. At this point, add the rest of the sugar and whisk well again until all the sugar has been incorporated and the mixture is thick, satiny and glossy.
4/ If colouring, use a toothpick to add the food colouring paste now in very small amounts and whisk again until fully mixed in.
5/ With a dessertspoon, spoon the mix onto the baking sheet, making simple mounds, about 6–10cm wide and 2–4cm high. Swirl or flatten with the back of the spoon if you want them to be meringue nests. Alternatively, for a less vintage, more professional look, use a piping bag with a plain nozzle. (Filling a piping bag can be tricky if you are on your own and have no one to hold the bag while you fill it, in which case stand the nozzle and bag in a jug.)
6/ Bake the meringues in the preheated oven for 1¼ hours or until the meringues have darkened slightly in colour. They should peel off the baking parchment easily and feel light when lifted up.
7/ Whip the cream and use to top individual meringues or to sandwich pairs together. Serve with fresh raspberries and/or strawberries.