Baking day...What to bake???

SunnyGirl

Do a search on the forum for Twinks homemade hobnobs. They are legendary & quite rightly as they're fabulous!!!!! There is a whole thread dedicated to them somewhere. I make them at least once a week & everyone loves them.

Pink.

Hi leiela,

I think home baking is probably more expensive these days than buying the cheapest value brands, but it's well worth the extra expense as at least you know what's going into homemade food.

This earlier thread may help:

What treats/goodies do you bake to save money?

I'll add your thread to that one later to keep the ideas together.

Pink

FrenchMaid_2

If you buy smart price stuff it's cheaper but you fill your little ones with hydrogenated (sp?) fats, all sorts of preservatives etc. I buy margerine in 1kg pots from Sainsbury or Asda (last week Sainsbury had 1 get 1 half price on that) and that costs just under £2. Out of that I bake loads, e.g. Oat biscuits which are scrummy or the legendary hobnobs on here or peanut butter cookies, I make cakes, muffins and scones (though I use butter to make those). It's healthier than shop bought stuff, it tastes much better, the smell of fresh baking makes people happy (it's true...) and it is fun to do.

thriftlady_2

You may find homebaking is no cheaper than the cheapest value/smartprice supermarket product, BUT what you get with homebaking is the equivalent of not just the 'finest/taste the difference' brands but of the poshest of posh Duchy Farm type product. So from that point of view there are big savings to be made.

As for healthy baking yes, you certainly can make things with less sugar and more wholegrains & fruit. At this vey moment I have in the oven some muffins with oats, plain hm yogurt and dried cherries in (OK, they've also got chunks of chocolate in:D ), they are made with sunflower oil and a fairly low amount of sugar. Muffins can be varied at will. There's a basic recipe on here somewhere to which you can add all kinds of dried, fresh, tinned and frozen fruit, nuts and seeds, carrot, pumpkin, cheese and herbs. You can use wholemeal flour, cornmeal and oats.

I've also got this cake in the oven too. Fantastically moist and just bursting with good things.

Flapjacks are another favourite although not particularly low in sugar. Try fruit breads or scones for lower sugar treats.

leiela

Well i figured it might not be cheaper than the cheapest brands, but i bet there are just much better from a nutritional and taste perspective.

That carrot cake you posted looks yummy i have major weakness for carrot cake at the best of times.

Ok here is go's ....

I want THE EASIEST, YUMMIEST recipe you guys can think of.

I also need a list of "stuff" ill need baring in mind i have no cake tins or anything haha.

SailorSam

thriftlady wrote: »

You may find homebaking is no cheaper than the cheapest value/smartprice supermarket product, BUT what you get with homebaking is the equivalent of not just the 'finest/taste the difference' brands but of the poshest of posh Duchy Farm type product. So from that point of view there are big savings to be made.

As for healthy baking yes, you certainly can make things with less sugar and more wholegrains & fruit. At this vey moment I have in the oven some muffins with oats, plain hm yogurt and dried cherries in (OK, they've also got chunks of chocolate in:D ), they are made with sunflower oil and a fairly low amount of sugar. Muffins can be varied at will. There's a basic recipe on here somewhere to which you can add all kinds of dried, fresh, tinned and frozen fruit, nuts and seeds, carrot, pumpkin, cheese and herbs. You can use wholemeal flour, cornmeal and oats.

I've also got this cake in the oven too. Fantastically moist and just bursting with good things.

Flapjacks are another favourite although not particularly low in sugar. Try fruit breads or scones for lower sugar treats.

They sound lovely, can i come around to your house for lunch ?

thriftlady_2

SailorSam wrote: »

They sound lovely, can i come around to your house for lunch ?

I'll have probably eaten it all by then:rotfl: :rotfl:

Leiela this is what I consider basic equipment for baking. If you want to bake in quantity for the freezer it is a good idea have more than one of each kind of tin.

A muffin tray -for muffins obviously. They will not rise properly in a bun tin.
A traybake tin about 12'' x 9'' -for flapjacks and cakes-you can get about 16 pieces from this size tin.
2lb loaf tin -for bread or tealoaves
8'' round springform cake tin
a couple of sturdy baking trays -for biscuits (useful for roasting veg on too)

Reusable baking liners -not really essential but if you cut a piece to fit each of your tins it makes life easier.
paper muffin cases

mixing bowls
measuring jug
cup measures -I find these really useful for following US recipes, but they're not vital
measuring spoons
scales
spatula
selection of large spoons for mixing, folding in and beating
electric beaters -really useful if you are going to make sponge-type cakes where you need to cream ingredients.
cooling rack

Jasper27_2

I always buy value brands for basics like flour, sugar, oats etc and buy margerine and butter when they are on offer. I'll spend a bit more on stuff like chocolate to get good quality but a little goes a long way e.g I got 2 batches of brownies and a batch of choc/nut flapjack out of one bar of Green and Blacks cooking chocolate. As others have pointed out you get much better quality results for your money. 2 fancy muffins in Starbucks costs about the same as the ingredients to make a whole tray of similar ones yourself. Plus there is the wonderful smell throughout the house and OHs amazement that I can reproduce coffee shop cakes for a fraction of the cost. In fact the main problem is avoiding over indulgence!

Penelope_Penguin

thriftlady wrote: »

I've also got this cake in the oven too. Fantastically moist and just bursting with good things.

That looks delicious -I'm having a baking day tomorrow and would like to make it. The recipe calls for a 8" tin - is this round or square I have both

TIA, Penny. x

thriftlady_2

Baking Supplies (what I keep in my baking cupboard)

Flour -plain and self-raising, plain wholemeal, strong white flour and strong wholemeal flour
Oats (basic porridge/rolled oats)
Sugar -granulated, soft brown sugar, muscavado, demerara
golden syrup, black treacle
cocoa
chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
salt
baking powder, bicarb, easy-blend yeast (Jordan's)
spices -cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, mixed spice, ginger, vanilla extract
coconut
sunflower seeds
raisins, sultanas, dried apricots
sunflower oil

and in the fridge

milk
eggs
butter (never marge)

occasional/seasonal extras

mixed peel
glace cherries
various nuts
dates plus other dried fruits
icing sugar
preserved ginger