There’s only so much banana bread a person can make (and eat), which is why many of us are looking elsewhere for baking inspiration.
Enter: One Tin Bakes. Edd Kimber’s recipe book is one for home bakers with a mega sweet tooth, as well as those who enjoy making cakes but don’t have a cupboard full of baking gadgets.
There are recipes for cakes, bars, cookies, tiffins, pastries, pies, tarts, buns and breads, with dessert ideas thrown in for good measure – like the sticky date pudding with a rum butterscotch sauce, or masala chai baked rice pudding.
All these creations are baked in a 23 x 33cm cake tin – the one you’d typically use for brownies. Here are three mouthwatering recipes from the book.
Roasted white chocolate oatmeal raisin cookie bars
Serves: 16
Ingredients
For the caramelised white chocolate ganache:
- 370g white chocolate, roughly chopped (when choosing your white chocolate for roasting, use one with at least 30% cocoa butter)
- 150ml double (heavy) cream
- 1½ teaspoons flaked sea salt
For the oatmeal raisin bars:
- 120g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
- 125g plain (all-purpose) flour
- 160g rolled oats
- ½ teaspoon flaked sea salt
- 3 tablespoons golden syrup or clear honey
- 150g light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons milk powder
- ¾ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 145g raisins, soaked in boiling water, drained
Method
- Preheat the oven to 120°C (250°F). Add the white chocolate for the ganache to the baking tin in a single layer and bake for about 60–90 minutes, stirring vigorously every 15 minutes, until melted and a rich, golden colour.
- When you take out the chocolate to stir it may look coarse and grainy. Ensure you stir it until smooth and melted before returning to the oven. Once it’s ready, scrape into a heatproof bowl and set aside.
- Increase the oven temperature to 180°C (350°F), gas mark 4. Wash and dry the baking tin, grease it, then line with a strip of parchment paper that overhangs the two long sides of the tin. Secure the paper in place with two metal clips.
- Place the flour, oats and salt into a large, heatproof bowl and mix together.
- Place the butter, syrup or honey, sugar and milk powder into a medium-sized saucepan and cook over a low medium heat until melted and combined.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the bicarbonate of soda and 1 tablespoon water, then pour this and the raisins over the oat mixture and stir to coat. While still warm, tip into the prepared tin and press into an even layer.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until golden all over and just a little darker around the edges. Leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes before adding the ganache.
- To finish the ganache, pour the cream into the bowl with the roasted chocolate, then place over a pan of simmering water (ensuring the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water) and cook, stirring occasionally, until the ganache is smooth and combined.
- Pour over the base and spread into an even layer, then pop the tin in the refrigerator until set, about 1 hour. Just before the ganache is set, sprinkle with the salt.
- Remove from the refrigerator and cut into small bars to serve. Store in a sealed container for 3–4 days.
Blueberry cornmeal buckle
Serves: 12-15
Ingredients
For the streusel topping:
- 125g ground almonds
- 125g oat flour
- 3 tablespoons caster (superfine) sugar
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 100g unsalted butter, diced
For the almond cornmeal cake:
- 185g unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing
- 250g caster (superfine) sugar
- Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
- 185g fine cornmeal
- 185g ground almonds
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 5 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 450g fresh blueberries
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), gas mark 4. Lightly grease the baking tin and line with a piece of parchment paper that overhangs the two long sides of the tin.
- To make the streusel topping, mix together the ground almonds, oat flour, sugar and salt, then rub in the butter using your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs. Pop this bowl into the freezer while you finish the cake batter.
- For the cake, place the butter, sugar and lemon zest into a large bowl and beat together using an electric mixer for about 5 minutes or until light and fluffy.
- Mix together the cornmeal, ground almonds, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl.
- Add the eggs to the butter mixture, one at a time, beating until fully combined before adding another. Add the vanilla and mix briefly to combine.
- Add the cornmeal mixture and mix together to form a smooth cake batter, then gently fold in the blueberries.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking tin and spread into an even layer, then sprinkle the chilled streusel mixture evenly over the top.
- Bake for 40–45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
- Leave the cake to cool in the tin for about 20 minutes, before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, cut into portions and serve. Store in a sealed container for 2–3 days.
Anzac caramel chocolate slices
Serves: 20
Ingredients
For the Anzac base:
- 85g plain (all-purpose) flour
- 60g rolled oats
- 40g desiccated coconut
- ¼ teaspoon flaked sea salt
- 75g unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons golden syrup or clear honey
- 100g light brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
For the caramel filling:
- 100g unsalted butter
- 397g condensed milk
- 2 tablespoons golden syrup or clear honey
- 55g light brown sugar
For the topping:
- 200g dark chocolate, melted
- Flaked sea salt, for sprinkling (optional)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), gas mark 4. Line the baking tin with parchment paper that overhangs the two long sides of the tin, securing in place with metal clips.
- To make the base, combine the flour, oats, coconut and salt in a large bowl.
- Place the butter, golden syrup or honey and sugar in a saucepan and cook over a medium heat, stirring every now and then, until melted. Remove from the heat and add the bicarbonate of soda and 1 tablespoon of water, stirring together for a minute until the mixture is a little foamy. Pour this over the oat mixture and mix together until well combined.
- While the Anzac mixture is still warm, tip it into the prepared tin and press into a flat and even layer.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until golden brown and a little darker around the edges. Leave to cool in the tin while you make the caramel.
- Add all the caramel filling ingredients to a medium-sized saucepan and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and continue to stir, scraping the bottom of the pan regularly to prevent catching, for 10–15 minutes, until the mixture has thickened and darkened a shade or two. If you have an instant-read thermometer, the caramel, when ready, should reach 112°C/235°F.
- Remove from the heat and pour the caramel over the base. This mixture is very hot, so ease it into the corners by lifting and tilting the tin as needed. Set aside to cool for 30 minutes.
- For the topping, pour the melted chocolate over the caramel and use an offset spatula to spread it out evenly. Pop the tin in the refrigerator and leave for a couple of hours to allow everything to fully set (if you want to sprinkle with sea salt, allow the chocolate to turn a little tacky before sprinkling, otherwise it will sink into the chocolate).
- To serve, remove from the tin using the parchment paper and cut into squares. Keep these in the refrigerator, but allow them to come to room temperature before serving as the textures are at their best. Store in a sealed container for 4–5 days.
One Tin Bakes by Edd Kimber is published by Kyle Books, £17.99. Photography by Edd Kimber.