Baking ingredients and ideas to inspire you this summer
There is no doubt that baking recipes are for all seasons and occasions.
We are certainly not turning our noses up at a sweet and spicy hot cross bun just because it’s the second half of the year. That being said, there are some spring and summer seasonal flavours you simply can’t pass up. Because there is nothing quite like the fresh, full flavour of seasonal produce to inspire you in the kitchen.
Strawberry
Strawberry is a summer fruit personified. Strawberries yearn for lashings of whipped cream, sweet and chewy meringues and hints of fresh mint. It’s time to dust off your scone recipes, limber up your rolling pin and get cracking on jams, turnovers, cheesecakes and pavlovas to celebrate the glorious spring and summer flavour that is the Strawberry.
Lemon & poppyseed
Lemon and poppyseed muffins are a quintessential summer celebration. Bursting with tart, citrusy lemon and tiny crunchy poppyseeds – these classic muffins are hard to beat. Serve them with a drizzle of traditional glaze icing, and they are the perfect tea-time indulgence. Fancy a little something different? This flavour pair also makes delicious pancakes, cookies and shortbreads.
A floral arrangement
For something a little more conceptual, you can make floral decorated cakes and cupcakes. They celebrate the yielding nature of the warmer months, and you can play around with flavours and mediums to achieve maximum impact. Opt for a light and subtle cake such as orange blossom or vanilla sponge and go wild on the decoration. Use fresh flowers, layers of fruit or icing of your choice to replicate a floral design – nothing says summer quite like a floral bouquet, even if it is edible. If you fancy some botanical baking, top off a classic pavlova with figs and edible flowers such as nasturtiums. Or bake a rosewater sponge cake and decorate it with butter icing, candied rose petals and Turkish delight.
Pita bread charcuterie board
Baking is not all dessert recipes, and although it is great to bake something sweet, sometimes a good old-fashioned savoury bake can steal the show. An alfresco charcuterie board complete with home-baked pita bread is about as summer as you can get. Load up a platter with freshly baked flatbreads, olives, dips, cheeses, cold meats, dates, grapes and other fruit and nuts and relish the summer sunshine. Enjoy seasonal flavours in your baking and experiment with spring and summer themes for a delicious, fun, family-approved activity. For these and more savoury and dessert recipes and inspiration take a look at Stork or download the Heritage Bake Book for recipes and techniques. This article was supplied by NP Digital.
