Recipes featured in
Murder at the Mansion
βSit down, Annabelle. You look like you could do with a rest.β
βThank you, Philippa. Itβs been a terribly eventful morning.β
βWhatever happened?β asked Philippa, pouring the tea as Annabelle bit into a sandwich. Annabelleβs mother had always told her, βsandwiches before cake,β and Annabelle always listened to her mother.
Wicked Walnut Cupcakes
For the cupcakes
1Β½ sticks (170g) unsalted butter
1 cup (190g) soft brown sugar, packed
1 cup (200g) sugar
3 eggs
3 cups (360g) flour
1Β½ teaspoon baking powder
ΒΌ teaspoon salt
1ΒΌ cup (300ml) whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Walnut butter (see recipe)
For the frosting
1Β½ sticks (170g) unsalted butter
2 cups (240g) icing sugar
Walnut butter (see recipe)
Β½ teaspoon molasses
Β½ teaspoon maple extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3 tablespoons water
Β½ teaspoon walnuts, finely chopped
For the walnut butter
1 cup (120g) shelled walnuts
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons water (as needed)
Dash salt
Preheat the oven to 180Β°C/350Β°F/Gas Mark 4. Line cupcake tins with paper liners.Β
To make the walnut butter, mix all ingredients in food processor until well blended. Add water to make the consistency creamy like mildly chunky peanut butter.
To make cupcakes, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add sifted dry ingredients and slowly blend in milk. Stir in vanilla extract and fold in six tablespoons of the walnut butter. Reserve remainder of butter for icing. Spoon cupcake batter into paper liners, filling them about ΒΎ full.
Bake the cupcakes until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. Leave to cool completely.Β
For the frosting, cream together unsalted butter and icing sugar. Gradually add remainder of walnut butter, molasses, maple flavouring, vanilla extract. Add water, one tablespoon at a time, until mixture is fluffy and creamy. Top cupcakes with frosting and add finely chopped walnuts for decoration.
Makes approximately 30 cupcakes.
Beatific Baklava
1β (340g) cups sugar
1Β½ (355ml) cups water
2 tsp rose water
2 tsp orange blossom water
β cup (230g) honey
2 cinnamon sticks
2 (5 x Β½-inch strips orange peel)
2 sticks (450g) butter, melted
1 cup (115g) chopped walnuts
Β½ cup (60g) chopped pecans
Β½ cup (60g) chopped almonds
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Β½ tsp ground allspice
15 phyllo pastry
Stir 300g sugar, water, rose water, orange blossom water, honey, cinnamon sticks, and orange peel in saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and bring to boil stirring continuously for 10-15 minutes or until consistency is thick like syrup. Remove from heat and chill until cold.
Preheat oven to 160Β°C/325Β°F/Gas Mark 3. Line a 33 x 22.5 x 5 cm/13 x 9 x 2 inch metal baking tray with backing paper and brush with a little of the melted butter. Mix walnuts, pecans, almonds, cinnamon, all spice, and the remaining sugar in a medium bowl.
Fold one sheet of phyllo pastry in half to form a 30 x 22.5 cm/12 x 9 inch rectangle. Place folded sheet in prepared tray. Brush with melted butter. Repeat with four more folded sheets, brushing top of each with butter.
Sprinkle half of nut mixture over the top of the pastry. Repeat with five more folded sheets, brushing the top of each with butter. Sprinkle remaining nut mixture over the top. Add five more folded sheets of pastry, again brushing the top of each with melted butter.
Using a sharp knife, make seven diagonal cuts across the phyllo pastry, cutting through top layers only and spacing cuts evenly. Repeat in opposite direction with cuts crossing in the middle to form a diamond pattern. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, around 30 to 40 minutes.
Strain the white foam, cinnamon sticks and orange peel from syrup. Spoon 240 ml cup syrup over hot baklava. Cover and refrigerate or dispose of remaining syrup.
Cut baklava along lines all the way through layers. Cover and let stand at room temperature for four hours before eating. Can be made one day ahead. Do not wrap or will become soggy. Best if served individually. Can be chilled.
Makes approximately 30 pieces.
For the macaroons
Chaste Chia Seed And Coconut Macaroons
1 egg, beaten
ΒΌ cup (50g) sugar
ΒΎ cup (60g) shredded coconut
1 tbsp chia seeds
Optional
Food colouring of your choice
Preheat oven to 180Β°C/350Β°F/Gas Mark 4. Put the egg in a mixing bowl. Beat the sugar into the eggs with a fork, then stir in the coconut and chia seeds. Food colouring can be added at this time, just a few drops. Press the mixture, a few spoonfuls at a time, into a small eggcup, then turn upside down and tap out onto a baking sheet to form small rounds.
Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden-brown. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Makes 7-8.
Angelic Almond Cupcakes
For the cupcakes
1Β½ cups (180g) flour
1ΒΎ tsp baking powder
1 cup (200g) white sugar
1 stick (115g) unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp almond butter
1 cup (240ml) vanilla flavoured almond milk
1 pinch salt
For the frosting
1 stick (115g) unsalted butter, softened
1Β½ cups (180g) icing sugar
2 tbsp almond butter
Β½ tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp water (or as needed for consistency)
ΒΌ cup (a small handful) almond slivers
Preheat the oven to 180Β°C/350Β°F/Gas Mark 4. Line cupcake tins with paper liners. In a bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder.
In a separate bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together the sugar and butter until well blended. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and stir in the vanilla. Gradually beat in the flour mixture, slowly adding in the almond milk, almond butter and salt. Make sure all the ingredients are well blended. Spoon mixture into each paper liner, filling them about ΒΎ full.
Bake the cupcakes until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. Leave to cool completely.
To make frosting, sift icing sugar and beat together with butter. Add almond butter to sugar and butter mixture. Add vanilla extract. Add water, one tablespoon at a time, until mixture is fluffy and creamy. Top cupcakes with frosting and add almond slivers for decoration.
Makes approximately 16 cupcakes.
