Want, knead, love: Real, down-to-earth bread baking

There's something about bread that is so fundamental, so magical, so right. Our passionate baker boy, Alex Gooch, is here to pass on his bread baking knowhow.

Meet Alex Gooch, our new baker boy, in the first of his new series about baking bread.

“Good bread takes patience, passion and instinct. Making it brings you into the moment completely. It stimulates all of the senses, whether it be the feel of the dough, the sweet smell of the baking bread, or the crackle as you squeeze a ciabatta. “When I was growing up, my brothers and I ate toast, toast and more toast! And that was about as close to bread as I got until I started as a kitchen porter when I was doing my A levels. “I loved the camaraderie of the kitchen and felt at home there. They offered to train me, so I ditched the idea of college and settled into the chef’s life of long hours and a surrogate family of fellow foodies. “I liked baking bread and worked at a few Italians where I mastered focaccia pretty well and at hotels I made plenty of pastry and croissants. But it was while at Penrhos Court in Herefordshire that I started experimenting, encouraged by chef Daphne lambert (who I named my first sourdough starter after). In 2007 she let me take over one of the kitchens at night and this was my first bakery. I began selling bread and jams at farmers’ markets and food festivals, then the following year I opened my bakery called Alex Gooch Artisan Baker in Hay-on-Wye. “There are so many possibilities with bread: rye sourdough, mixed grain, ciabatta, brioche but one of the things that keeps me excited and inspired is following the seasons, and letting them dictate the bread I make. It turns out that pink fir apple potatoes make the most scrumptious potato and onion bread, and the magical cep makes a mind-blowing garlic and cep foccacia with herb oil. “Baking is a hard job – pulling all-nighters and the need to step up a gear when things are busy. But baking at home is different: one of the reasons I think it is now so popular is because the results are so rewarding. The process is so enjoyable, too. It is very natural; you can listen to the radio or chill out for a while – bread is at its best when it is left to rest a lot.”

Turn to page 49 of October's The Simple Things for Alex's seasonal bread bakes, including Black garlic flatbread with sesame, nigella and a kale, miso dressing; Roast pumpkin and apple rolls; and Plum and ginger bread with a cider and honey glaze.

Buy or download your copy now.

Alex Gooch supplies restaurants, hotels, delis, functions and events and sells at markets in different towns four days a week. He also runs bread-making courses: www.alexgoochbaker.com. Tweet Alex @alexgoochbaker to let him know how your bread bakes.

Recipe: Chocolate fridge cake

No need to bake in August with our indulgent chocolate fridge cake.

This cocoa-laden treat embodies indulgence, not least because you only need a fridge to make it. And it's the perfect way to celebrate National Afternoon Tea Week (11-17 August 2014).

Chocolate Fridge Cake

150g unsalted butter 100g golden syrup 200g dark chocolate, chopped 1 medium egg, lightly beaten 330g digestive biscuits (or similar) 60g walnuts 60g sultanas 100g glacé cherries 75g brazil nuts

1. Line a 23cm square tin or similar flat dish with baking parchment.

2. Melt the butter and golden syrup in a pan and bring to the boil. Add the chocolate, reduce heat to low and whisk until the chocolate has melted.

3. Gradually add the beaten egg and continue to stir with the whisk until the mixture has thickened a little and formed a shiny emulsion. The egg will cook in the heat of the mixture but don’t let it boil (it shouldn’t reach above 85C). Remove from the heat.

4. Break the biscuits into chunks (quarters are fine), put them in a bowl with the walnuts, sultanas and half the cherries. Pour the hot chocolate mix over the dry ingredients and mix gently. Decant into the prepared tin, leaving the runny chocolate on the side of the bowl for now. Press the mixture flat in the tin.

5. Put brazil nuts in the chocolatey bowl and, using a spatula, coat them in the leftover chocolate. Sprinkle in a loose pattern over the biscuit cake, then add the remaining cherries. Chill for 3 hours or until set.

Recipe taken from Konditor & Cook: Deservedly Legendary Baking by Gerhard Jenne (Ebury Press, £20)

Cake in the House - page 51 of August's The Simple Things. Buy or download now

Win a KitchenAid or Aga mixer, plus sponge cake recipe (closed 8 July 2014)

If you share our love of simple cooking pleasures, like baking a sponge cake or whipping up super-thin crepes, you're in luck! We're giving away two Betty Twyford mixers.  The first prize is a metal KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer worth £429. Easy to clean and use, it's robust and stable and comes in a choice of either Almond Cream or Pistachio Green. The second prize is a black aluminium Aga kMix Stand Mixer, worth £349, which comes with a 4.6-litre bowl and three different mixing heads and has a 500W motor.

To enter the competition for your chance to win a KitchenAid or Aga mixer, head to our competition entry page.

Classic Victoria Sponge Cake

Ingredients:

4 free-range eggs 225g caster sugar, plus a little extra for dusting the finished cake 225g self-raising flour 2 tsp baking powder (this will guarantee your sponge to rise) 225g soft butter at room temperature, plus a little extra to grease the tin

Method:

Place everything into the bowl of your mixer, and mix on a fairly low speed until everything is combined and produces a dropping consistency. Divide the mixture between two lined sandwich tins placed on the middle shelf of your oven and bake for about 25 minutes at 180C/350F/Gas 4. When cool, fill with homemade jam and whipped cream – perfect. You could also sprinkle the top with icing sugar or caster sugar.

World Baking Day: cake recipes

It's World Baking Day, and we're celebrating with our favourite cake recipes. Bake away the weekend with a homemade cake and a cuppa. Today happens to be World Baking Day and, although we need no excuse to get our pinnies on, we're taking full advantage with a range of cake recipes from The Simple Things.

Pictured above: Rhubarb cake

Sharp rhubarb, sweet orange and a hint of warming spice – this is a cake to curl up with on a rainy afternoon.

Or how about this Harvest cake, packed with courgettes, fig and pistachios?

We love raspberries, and this Pistachio raspberry loaf is delicious as well as beautiful.

Like unusual flavour combinations? Try this Rosemary olive oil cake.

It's nearly nectarine season, and this cake combines the fragrant fruit with honey.

Find more cake recipes from The Simple Things

Buy May's issue of The Simple Things, or download a free trial digital issue now.

Food from afar: Bomboloni

Bomboloni: delightful to say, even more delightful to eat. And possibly even onomatopoeic, if you attempt to exclaim "bloomin' lovely!" while you're eating them! Doughnuts fulfil a basic human craving the world over and countless countries have their own spin on them - there's the French beignet, the Turkish tulumba and the Israeli sufganiya to name but a fraction. Bomboloni are the Tuscan contribution to the planet's exhaustive list of things to do with sweet, deep-fried dough and, dare we say, one of the best.

Read more about these delicious little mouthfuls of delight in April's issue of The Simple Things - buy now or look through.

And if you feel like making your own, this recipe looks tempting.

Recipe: Brioche hot cross buns

Get everyone's favourites on the table with our laid-back Easter brunch, featuring a new take on an old classic: brioche hot cross buns Not quite breakfast, not quite lunch, but elegantly supplanting both at once, brunch is about as efficient and fun as domestic catering gets.

Easter brunch is unbeatably relaxed and satisfying, but the best thing? It practically forces you to wake up late and do it in your PJs.

The brunch menu featured in the April issue of The Simple Things:

Spinach & bacon baked eggs

Smoked salmon caesar salad on toast

Hash browns

Custard tartlets

Brioche hot cross buns

Green smoothie

Brioche hot cross buns - makes 12

Ingredients:

375g plain flour 3 eggs 100g unsalted butter, melted 45g sugar 1 pinch salt 100ml milk, lukewarm 45g sultanas 1 tsp grated nutmeg 1 tsp grated cinnamon 1 packet (7g) dry yeast

For the glaze:

1 egg yolk 1 tbsp milk

For the icing:

100g icing sugar 1 tbsp water

Method:

1. In a large bowl mix together flour, salt, sugar and spices. Sprinkle yeast over milk and allow it to prove for 5-10 minutes. Pour milk, yeast, melted butter and eggs into flour and stir well.

2. Transfer the dough onto a work surface and knead for 10 minutes. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover with cling film for an hour or until it doubles in size. Pinch back the dough on a work surface and lightly knead for a minute. Add the sultanas.

3. Divide the dough into 12 equal parts. Place balls of dough 1cm apart from each other on a baking tray lined with baking paper and let them prove for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 190C (170C fan), 375F, gas 5. Just before baking, brush buns with egg yolk and milk mixture.

4. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until nicely golden. Remove from oven and let them cool completely on a wire rack.

5. Prepare icing by mixing sugar with water. The icing should have the consistency of a smooth paste. Spoon it into a piping bag or use a ziplock bag with a small hole cut in a corner. Pipe and draw a cross on top of each cooled bun. Allow icing to set before serving.

Turn to page 28 for the rest of the recipes.

Buy The Simple Things now, or have a look through the digital sampler for a taste of the April issue

Recipe: Dark chocolate and raspberry tarts

With four cake and biscuit recipes to choose from, April's issue of The Simple Things is a baker's dream come true. Want more? These dark chocolate and raspberry tarts are pastry perfection Already baked the Lemon & Blueberry Cake, Courgette & Lime Cake, Giant Empire Biscuits, and Raspberry & Coconut Cake featured in the April issue of The Simple Things? Here's another sumptuous recipe from Three Sisters Bake by Gillian, Nichola and Linsey Reith.

As Gillian says, 'We love food which looks as good as it tastes, and these dainty tarts certainly qualify in this category. They are so pretty, in fact, that we served them at an Alice in Wonderland-themed party we hosted at the café. Needless to say they went down a treat.'

Dark Chocolate and Raspberry Tarts (makes eight)

For the pastry:

235g (8 oz/scant 2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra for dusting 50g (2 oz/1/4 cup) caster (superfine) sugar 150g (5 oz) unsalted butter, chilled and cubed 1 large egg, at room temperature

For the dark chocolate and raspberry filling:

150 g (5 oz) good-quality dark chocolate, (50–60% cocoa solids) 100 g (3. oz) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing 1 large whole egg and 1 large egg yolk 30 g (1 oz/1⁄6 cup) caster (superfine) sugar 12 tablespoons homemade or good-quality raspberry jam Cocoa powder/icing (confectioners') sugar, for dusting 8 fresh raspberries, to decorate

Equipment:

12-hole muffin tin Baking beans

Method:

To make the pastry, place the flour and sugar in a food processor and pulse briefly to mix. Add the butter bit by bit and pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg and pulse until the pastry starts to come together. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly. Shape it into a ball, wrap in cling film, then chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180°c (350°f/Gas 4) and grease the muffin tin.

Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface until it is about 5 mm (¼ in) thick. Cut out 8 circles with a 9cm (3 1/2") round cookie cutter, and gently press the pastry circles into the greased muffin tin. Line each tart case with greaseproof (wax) paper, fill with baking beans and 'blind' bake for 15–20 minutes until the pastry is golden brown.

Remove the tin from the oven, take out the greaseproof paper and baking beans, and set aside to cool. Turn the oven temperature down to 170°c (335°f/Gas 3).

Melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water (making sure that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water). Stir occasionally until the butter and chocolate have melted. Remove the bowl from the pan and set aside to cool slightly.

Using an electric hand mixer, whisk the egg, egg yolk and sugar in a large bowl until glossy, then fold the whisked egg mixture into the melted chocolate and butter mixture.

Put a tablespoon of jam into each baked tart case. Pour the chocolate mixture into the cases, right up to the top and bake in the oven for 5 minutes.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool, decorating with fresh raspberries before the chocolate has fully set, then dust with either cocoa or icing sugar.

For the rest of the mouth-watering cakes and biscuits from the very talented trio behind Three Sisters Bake, turn to page 37 of The Simple Things issue 22.

Buy now, or have a look through the digital sampler:

Recipe: Make Madeleines for Mother's Day

Make your mother's day with a batch of madeleines, fresh from the oven, with our recipe  Few cakes say family and memory as strongly as these little baked beauties. Make Mother's Day special with our recipe for freshly baked madeleines - the way to any mum's heart.

These sponge shells get their shape from a moulded madeleine tray but taste just as good made in a muffin tin.

Madeleines (makes about 24)

Ingredients:

130g unsalted butter 3 eggs, at room temperature 1 egg yolk 120g granulated sugar Pinch of sea salt 175g flour, plus extra for dusting 1 tsp baking powder Zest of 2 medium oranges

Method:

1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan on medium heat until it just starts to turn golden brown. Be careful not to overheat. Set aside to cool.

2. Using a pastry brush, generously grease the madeleine tin with a little of the melted butter. Dust with flour and place the tins in the fridge to set.

3. With a stand mixer, whisk the eggs, egg yolk, sugar and slat until the batter starts to thicken, about 5 minutes.

4. Sift the flour and baking powder and use a spatula to fold the flour into the batter mixture. Add the orange zest to the cooled butter, then slowly drizzle the butter into the batter until you've incorporated all of the butter in the mixture.

5. Cover the bowl and place int he refrigerator for at least 1 1/2 hours.

6. Preheat the oven to 22oC (200C fan), 425F, gas mark 7. Drop the batter in the middle of each mould until about three-quarters full without spreading it. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes in the upper third of your oven until slightly brown and set to the touch.

For the full Mother's Day menu - Coq au vin blanc; Citrus salad with beetroot, fennel & radishes; Apple tart; Madeleines - turn to page 28 of The Simple Things issue 21.

Buy now, or have a look through the digital sampler:

Moroccan feast

Scatter the cushions and get on the floor for a zesty, aromatic supper that’s made for sharing. Food stylist and photographer Chantelle Grady produces exclusive recipes and sumptuous photography for a ten page feature in the magazine this month. Try her spiced coffee and almond fekka recipe tonight.

SPICED COFFEE

Your cafetiére won't know what's hit it when you concoct this warming, perky after-dinner brew .

Serves 4-6

3 whole cloves

5 cardamom pods

¹/₂ tsp black peppercorns

25g espresso beans, ground

¹/₂ tsp ground cinnamon

¹/₂ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

¹/₂ tsp ground ginger

1 litre boiling water

Warm milk, if desired

Sugar, if desired

1. Place cloves, cardamom pods and black peppercorns in a mortar and pestle. Grind until cardamom pods split open, and remove papery shell. Grind seeds and cloves into a fine powder.

2. Transfer to a bowl. Add the ground coffee, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger and mix to combine.

3. Transfer coffee mixture into a cafetière, add boiling water and steep for 5 mins. To serve, add sugar and warm milk if desired.

ALMOND FEKKAS

These crisp, just-sweet-enough little dainties are Morocco's answer to biscotti.

Makes about 40 biscuits

85g raisins

145g unsalted butter, melted

220g caster sugar

3 eggs, plus 1 egg lightly beaten

2 tbsp orange-blossom water

¹/₂ tsp almond extract

320g plain flour

1 tbsp baking powder

¹/₄ tsp salt

1 tbsp aniseed

1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted

160g whole almonds, toasted, roughly chopped

1. Preheat oven to 180˚C (160˚ fan), gas 4, 350˚F. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

2. Place raisins in a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Allow to soak for 10 mins, and then drain and set aside.

3. Place the butter, sugar, 3 eggs, orange-blossom water and almond extract in a large bowl and stir to combine. Add the flour, baking powder and salt and stir until all ingredients come together. Add the aniseed, sesame seeds, almonds and raisins and mix to evenly distribute. Cover and chill in refrigerator for 1 hour.

4. Turn dough out onto prepared baking sheet and divide into 2 balls. Moisten hands with water and form 2 loaves about 5cm in width, allowing space between each loaf. Brush with egg wash and bake in oven for 30 mins, or until golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

5. Once cool, use a serrated knife to cut into 1cm slices and lay out on 2 baking trays lined with baking paper. Bake for a further 8 mins, flip slices over and bake for another 8 mins, or until golden on both sides. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Serve with spiced coffee.

Enjoy!

Lily Vanilli's top five baking tips

What better way to spend Easter break than baking? But, before you head into the kitchen take note of these top tips from book author and baker Lily Vanilli.

- Don't skip the science bit - read up on how baking works, understanding why a particular method is in place will make you a much more intuitive baker.

- Practice makes perfect - I train my staff in the style of Mr Miyagi from the Karate Kid - study the basics over and over until you master them - then you can go on to do anything.

- Always check that you have the right pan size. People spend time and money getting the ingredients and method right, then tip the batter into any old pan they have and the cake has no chance.

- Mind the temperatures of your ingredients, it might seem like a minor detail in the recipe but in fact its crucial to getting a good bake - stick to the recipe's advice - cold butter for pastry, room temperature for cakes and so on.

- Invest in an oven mitt!

Got a passion for baking? Join Lurpak's Bake Club and take part in Lily's Chocolate Challenge this March!

Free Recipe! Baking biscotti with Elephantine

To celebrate the release of Issue 8 today Rachel Ball from Elephantine has stopped by the blog to share her recipe for almond biscotti. We suggest you enjoy these biccies with a foamy latte and the newest issue of The Simple Things.

Almond Biscotti with Maple Glaze (makes a dozen)

1 1/8 cups all-purpose flour 2/3 cups white sugar 1 tsp baking powder a pinch of salt 1/4 cup chopped almonds 1 tsp orange zest 2 eggs, beaten 1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil 1/4 tsp vanilla extract (or almond extract)

1/2 cup powdered sugar 1 Tbsp maple syrup 1 tsp milk

Preheat oven to 350˚F. In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, almonds, and orange zest. Add the eggs, oil, and vanilla extract. Mix well with a spoon (or your hands). Dump the dough onto a baking sheet (optionally lined with parchment paper). The dough will be very, very sticky. Form it into a rectangle about 3/4 inch thick. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Remove from the oven, cool slightly, then slice into 1/2 inch wide pieces. Set the biscotti back onto the baking sheet, laying them on their sides. Bake for 10 to 20 more minutes, turning over halfway through. Finished cookies should be hard & crunchy. For the glaze*, combine the powdered sugar, maple syrup, and milk. Mix well. Add more milk if it's too thick to easily pour. Drizzle over the cookies and let dry.

*Alternatively, you could make a lemon glaze instead. Or dip them in chocolate!

Don't miss: Rachel Ball showing us round her home town of Seattle in Issue 8 of The Simple Things.

Whip up a tasty tiramisu in time for the weekend

Sukaina from Sips and Spoonfuls has stopped by to share this delicious recipe for a simple tiramisu. Whip this up in less than an hour to share and enjoy with friends and family.

Ingredients: 2 cups whipping cream 3 egg yolks * 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup mascarpone cheese 2 cups strong coffee approx. 25 ladyfingers cocoa powder to serve

Directions: Beat the whipping cream until stiff peaks form and set aside. Using the paddle attachment of the stand mixer, beat the the egg yolks and sugar until the sugar has dissolved. Add the vanilla and mascarpone and beat on medium speed till combined. Fold the mascarpone with the whipped cream, taking care not to deflate the mixture.

Dip the ladyfingers quickly into the coffee. Layer glasses with the mascarpone followed by the ladyfingers alternatively starting and ending with the mascarpone. Refrigerate for four hours at least or overnight. Serve with a dusting of cocoa powder.

Makes approximately 8 glasses depending on the size.

A big thank you for Sukaina for taking the time to share this recipe with us, for more visit her at Sips and Spoonfuls

* Make sure you pick the best eggs for this recipe using our notes on eggs guide inside Issue 7

*Sponsored: A traditional apple crumble

Our friends from Mornflake have stopped by to share this easy-to-follow video for making a traditional apple crumble, yum!*

For more video recipes visit www.mornflake.com

Book launch: How to Bake

Back in the day, Delia taught us How to Cook. A little later Nigella shared her expertise on How to Eat. Now, Paul Hollywood's helping us all learn How to Bake.

One of our top two Great British Bake Off judges (sorry Paul, but we really, really love Mary Berry) has brought out a new cook book to help us all master the art of perfect home baking. The son of a baker, Paul's natural expertise is clear for all to see. If this book helps us produce a loaf of bread that's half as good as his, we'll be well chuffed, basically.

Poppyseed lemon pound cake

Lemon is one of our favourite summer flavours. It's fresh and zingy when we're feeling hot and bothered. This lemon pound cake recipe pairs citrus-y sponge with crunchy poppy seeds and sharp lemon icing, and it's making our stomachs very rumbly indeed.

Click over to Desserts for Breakfast for the recipe. In true recession spirit, master baker Stephanie has gone for a two-for-the-price-of-one recipe post and thrown in a ricotta and chocolate pound cake recipe for free.

Book launch: Tart it Up!

Tart it Up! is the latest offering from dessert legend and pâtissier extraordinaire Eric Lanlard, and this time he's turned his attentions to pies, flans and, that's right, tarts.

The cookbook contains a whole section dedicated to explaining the secrets behind perfect pastry, as well as a selection of quick bakes using ready-roll pastry for busy days.

We're most excited about the dessert tart section, though, which is filled with such treats as Exotic Fruit Meringue Crumble Pie and Apricot, Honey and Pistachio Tart. They don't call him Cake Boy for nothing, you know.

Treat yourself to nectarine honey cake

Mmm ... its been a while since we posted a yummy cake recipe on here, hasn't it? We love a sweet treat, and the latest addition to our 'to bake' list is this nectarine honey cake recipe from Good Things Grow. Soft and juicy nectarine, honey-sweet sponge and a hint of crunch from the brown sugar topping - we think this is the perfect summer pud. Baker Jacqui is convinced she could eat this cake all summer long, and we're inclined to agree.