I’ve been chatting to the lovely folk at CSN Stores again, and as I mentioned before their site literally has everything from teapots, to bedroom furniture, to gorgeous bakeware! Since I’ve just moved into my first flat with the mister, its amazing how your priorities change and you get excited over stuff you never used to blink a lash about. On the route to becoming fully domesticated, I really want to try my hand at baking. So I’m thinking of reviewing a few more homely products from their fabby site to help me (cause let’s face it, I’m pretty hopeless)
However, last weekend at my mums me and David made an apple crumble (under my mums military instruction) It doesn’t look the prettiest, but I promise you it was SO easy and absolutely delicious.
Want to give it a wee try yourself? The recipe is from the BBC website.
Apple crumble
So I guess this is what they say it’s meant to look like… but ours wasn’t far off!
Here’s what you’ll need for the crumble:
300g/10½oz plain flour, sieved pinch of salt
175g/6oz unrefined brown sugar. (we used 100g normal brown sugar and 75g dark muscovado brown sugar to add a little bit more ‘yum’ to it)
200g/7oz unsalted butter, cubed at room temperature
Knob of butter for greasing
and for the filling:
450g/1lb apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1cm/½in pieces
50g/2oz unrefined brown sugar
1 tbsp plain flour
1 pinch of ground cinnamon
and here’s what you need to do:
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
- Place the flour and sugar in a large bowl and mix well. Taking a few cubes of butter at a time rub into the flour mixture. Keep rubbing until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- Place the fruit in a large bowl and sprinkle over the sugar, flour and cinnamon. Stir well being careful not to break up the fruit.
- Butter a 24cm/9in ovenproof dish. Spoon the fruit mixture into the bottom, then sprinkle the crumble mixture on top.
- Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes until the crumble is browned and the fruit mixture bubbling.
- Serve with thick cream or custard. Sa-weeet!
I really want to make this bad boy again, and I think if I actually want to get into baking good and proper, there are a few things which I’ve had my eye on from CSN which would help me muchly.
My mum had electronic scales and they were amazing, and some recipes can be quite particular so a pair of scales are a definate need. Maybe the cake stand… not so much. But having folks round to the flat for tea and cake it would be nice to present it on something pretty 🙂 Oh, and we dont have any oven gloves. Major fail, I know. Dish towels are ok sometimes but burning your fingers isnt fun.
Do you bake?
Any tips/reccomendations for a beginner?
Or what I need, what I should avoid, or where I should look for good recipies?
Ayden x
23 Comments
gleenn
I love CSN Stores too. But if I do shop, I always search their shoes first. 🙂
Yay to cooking!
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November 15, 2010 at 10:30 amKatie
I LOVE being domesticated! I already had a stash of house things long before I moved in with my boyfriend!! I also love baking, bbc recipes online are pretty reliable 🙂
http://www.whatkatiefound.blogspot.com
November 15, 2010 at 11:09 amAmey Jane
The best recipes are the ones stolen from the parentals :)…I can now make a chilli to rival my dads :).
The BBC food recipes are pretty good and mouthwatering tasty.
http://teacupsandbuttondrops.blogspot.com
November 15, 2010 at 11:12 ambeewaits
I love cooking, but barely use measurements. These days I go on instinct and vague knowledge of how to put things together. I bake at my best when the cupboards are empty. So far I've managed to produce a couple of banana loafs (when running out of flour, pancake mix..excellent substitute) pear and chocolate loaf and peanut butter cookies. My fave things to make are bread and butter pudding and plum crumble though, nomnomnom.
I actually made a wee recipie book for the bf when he moved out….with my measurements (like 1/2 a cup of lentil…etc)…hopefully he'll be a masterchef in no time.
Haven't cooked in ages since been so busy..but think tonight the kitchen is calling me back. Soup, stir fry or risotto – that is the question.
BTW crumble looks amaze…if thats almonds my heart swooned.
x
November 15, 2010 at 11:30 amAlice
I’ve recently got quite smitten with baking too, and I am forever in search for some more lovely kitchen accessories, it's all about being domesticated indeed! x
November 15, 2010 at 12:15 pmfritha louise
The crumble looks yummy! It's one of my favourite winter foods!
November 15, 2010 at 12:42 pmThe BBC website is pretty amazing for recipes. Try the ones from James Martin's Saturday Kitchen site, they're always so yummy!
If you like making sweet things I'd definitely say that cake stand is a necessity! Oh, and silicone bakeware, so much less hassle to use and clean!
Alex
I LOVE baking. The BBC website is a complete godsend but look out for cookery books in charity shops – cake recipes never go out of fashion, even if the book covers do look a bit dated.
http://allrecipes.co.uk/ is a really useful site as well, especially cos people give feedback on the recipes and suggest substitutions.
I'd recommend getting a set of measuring cups as a lot of the recipes out there are from the USA and they all seem to use cups as measurements! Oh and silicone bakeware is great too.
ps – try putting some ground almonds in the crumble next time. YUM!
November 15, 2010 at 12:49 pmKelly
Yum yum yum, I love crumble, Andy makes a fab apple and blackberry one. Yummers. With cornish custard is amazing. (god I sound a right fatty!)
I love baking, mainly cakes but I rock at cottage pie.
xxx
p.s Your hair is looking incredible, so shiny and colour is lovely, and it's growing like a beast! (like a beast?! eh!?)
November 15, 2010 at 1:22 pmHelen
I love baking. I made some red velvet cupcakes at the weekend that were incredible. I've got a lot of cookery books so I get most of my recipes from there. Nigella has some amazing recipes. I also use a lot of food blogs for recipes (Smitten Kitchen is amazing) but a lot of them use American measurements. I'd invest in some cup measurers if you want to use American recipes.
November 15, 2010 at 2:11 pmJenny
Definitly score yourself some ovenmitts, those are key, get cute ones too 😉
November 15, 2010 at 2:44 pmA good muffin tin is key. If you start baking alot, cupcakes and muffins are the easiest.
Use parchment paper so all of your cookies turn out perfect on the bottom (cookie sheet,get one too)
Oh yes, some super cute mixing bowls, and measuring cups.
I've been dying to make some blueberry muffins.
Your crumble looks great. I've never made one but that would be awesome for the cool weather.
Have a wonderful day!
Anonymous
OM NOM NOM, crumbles are so so yummy. My apartment has nothing, there's no way for me to bake anything, unless I go home :/
Definitly get the electric mixed, they're such handy things to have. I even used them to beat eggs for omlettes lol I'm that lazy!
Thank you for tagging me in your previous post, I need to get on that!
Much love
:* xoxo
November 15, 2010 at 3:13 pmBeth-xo
your apple crumble looks great!
and i also love baking and have made a few things you can see on my blog!
http://www.beths-gallery.blogspot.com
Also i think cake stands are really nice and i have two from sainsburys 🙂 they are made of cardboard and can be put up and taken down all for a few pounds! They are a nice cheap way to present something and can be wiped clean and used again!
November 15, 2010 at 4:11 pmEllen
i love how you said under your mums observation haha – mine still doesn't trust me in kitchen at home yet she'll let me do what i please at uni hehe – cute blog and it looks so yummy xx
November 15, 2010 at 4:59 pmFromGemWithLove
These lovely people contacted me, I'm linking to this post in my one now 🙂 How cool, I love cooking, I want to make something out of my nigella book 🙂 xxxx
November 15, 2010 at 7:11 pmCherry Pullinger
Apple crumble is the best thing ever!
November 15, 2010 at 11:02 pmDanielle @ Antiquated Treasures
Mmmm! That looks so tasty!!! Love your blog!! I'm a new follower =)
November 17, 2010 at 1:53 amVintage and Cake
Oh that looks sooooo good, I am rubbish at any thing to do with cooking or baking 🙁 …I really want to be good because as a mum it would be nice to bake something my son could eat…. Anyway I love CSN I win a giveaway and got a cool bag from them.
BTW I LOVE !!! Your sweater/jumper where is it from? xx
November 17, 2010 at 2:17 amIvonne
The outcome looks delicious! :p
I might want to give this recipe a try. Mainly because I get a big urge to cook during the holiday season. I love the smell of cooking on a chilly day hehe
p.s I love your fabulous sweater!
November 17, 2010 at 4:25 amLouder Than Silence
Mmm this looks lovely, you can't beat apple crumble!
Sally x
November 17, 2010 at 1:37 pmRosie
yummy scrummy!
i wish i liked apples 🙁 haha
Rosie x
would love for you to take a looky at my new blog:
November 17, 2010 at 2:43 pmhttp://carelesslycutyou.blogspot.com
Emma (girlwiththearabstrap)
I love all kitchen utensils and equipment, but I'm not the greatest cook. I just like it to look nice haha. I'm always in House of Fraser looking at nice blenders etc…haha. My secret shame! The crumble looks lovely too! Nice work 🙂 xo
November 17, 2010 at 5:51 pmcupcake_couture
i have a recipe for gingerread men, which is so easy! I blogged about it a couple of weeks ago!
November 18, 2010 at 10:31 amAnonymous
I LOVE home-made apple crumbles!
http://uniqlygra8e.blogspot.com/
xx
November 20, 2010 at 9:59 pm