English Recipes

What better way to celebrate Valentine's day than by making your beloved a delicious cupcake (or two). You can decorate it with some butter icing, sugar hearts, or write a sweet little message on it in icing. Share the love!

Equipment

Mixing bowl, Wooden spoon, Paper cases, Tablespoon, Knife, Baking tray, Cooling wire rack, Scales, Sieve

Ingredients (makes about 12 cupcakes)

4 oz self raising flour
4 oz butter
4 oz castor sugar
2 medium eggs
2 tablespoons milk

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C / Gas mark 5).
2. Put the sugar and butter in the mixing bowl and cream them together, using a wooden spoon, until they are absolutely smooth. The mixture should look pale and fluffy.
3. Break an egg and add it to the mixture, beat it in until it has blended with the mixture. Repeat with the second egg.
4. Add the milk and stir it in until it's well blended.
5. Sift the flour into the mixture and gently fold it in.
6. Using a tablespoon divide the mixture evenly into the paper cases.
7. Place the tray of cupcakes on a middle shelf and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until they are well risen and golden on top, don't open the oven until you're pretty sure they're ready. (To test if they are ready you can pierce with a small wooden cocktail stick to see if the mixture is still wet inside, or just touch them gently with your finger to see if they are firm and springy to the touch.)
8. Remove from the oven and place on the wire try to cool completely.
9. Decorate as desired.
   

Definitions

To bake: to cook in an oven.

To beat: To thoroughly combine ingredients and incorporate air with a rapid, circular motion. This may be done with a wooden spoon, wire whisk, rotary eggbeater, electric mixer or food processor.

To cream: To mix fats and sugar together until creamy in appearance.

To fold: A method of gently mixing ingredients. Usually egg whites or whipped cream are folded into a heavier mixture, for a souffle, cake, or pie filling. The lighter mixture is placed on top of the heavier mixture, then the two are combined by passing a spatula down through the mixture, across the bottom, and up over the top. This process continues until the mixtures are combined. This traps air into bubbles in the product, allowing baked goods to rise.

To sift: To put dry ingredients such as flour or sugar through a sifter or mesh screen to loosen particles and incorporate air.

To stir: agitate an ingredient or a number of ingredients using a hand held tool such as a spoon, eg stir the onions until they are lightly browned.