Baking Hacks: Simple, Quick Recipes for Delicious Desserts
Time is precious, there never seem to be enough hours in the day to the things you have to do, let alone the things you want to do. After a busy day on the go, cooking a meal is effort enough – and then there’s the kids or your partner (or, let’s face it, yourself) wanting dessert!
But baking doesn’t have to be a chore. In fact, baking quick recipes can often be comforting to people and is even thought to improve your mood. The simpler recipes can often give you the most joy.
It’s been suggested that the pleasure that you can get from the end product inherently makes you happy[1]. Plus, you get a delicious treat out of it! It’s win win!
We have compiled some simple, quick recipes for you that are easy to make and even easier to enjoy!
Did you know…?
Baking is a really useful skill to teach your children. Did you know that children between the ages of 8 and 10 are using devices and looking at screens for an average of 6 hours a day?[2], and this statistic only grows as they get older.
Get them doing something practical. Cooking is a vital skill for a child to learn, and baking desserts is fun! It can help them to learn how to manage time, practice their maths skills, and most importantly of all – it’s a fun pastime that allows you to spend quality time with your little ones.
Quick Flapjack Recipes
Flapjacks are a popular traybake that originate from the UK. So popular, in fact, that William Shakespeare featured them in his play, Jacobean, way back in 1607!
These versatile sweet treats are a great addition to lunchboxes, but just as good if you fancy a sweet snack at home during the day.
15-Minute Flapjacks
Whip up this classic flapjack recipe if you want a sweet snack, and why not sprinkle some cinnamon over the top to add a warm, spiced flavour to them?
Peanut Butter Flapjacks
When you combine peanut butter and chocolate, you can’t go wrong! This recipe elevates the simple flapjack to give you a new depth of flavour.
End your meal on a high with these quick desserts
A quick dessert at the end of a meal is often the best part. Satisfy the sweet tooth of your family and friends by making these tasty, sweet treats!
Victoria Sandwich Smile
Arguably one of the most British Desserts you can get, this aptly named dessert is bound to make you and your guests smile! Top tip: To check if your cake is cooked, lightly press the top of the cake. If it springs back, it’s done.
Top tip: To check if your cake is cooked, lightly press the top of the cake. If it springs back, it’s done.
Golden Syrup Lemon Drizzle Loaf Cake
This zingy cake gives you a delicious citrus flavour and is the perfect accompaniment to a cup of tea.
Top tip: Press a toothpick, or something similar, in the centre of your cake. If it comes out clean, then your cake is cooked!
No-Bake Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecake
Miss the pumpkin flavours of Autumn? Break the rules and make this delicious pumpkin cheesecake to satisfy that craving – we won’t tell anyone! This may take some time to set but doesn’t take long to prepare.
Tips to make these quick recipes even faster!
Invest in an electric whisk
An electric whisk can make the process of combining ingredients a lot quicker, and it means you’re not killing your arm in the process… Although, take care when using them as it is possible to over-whisk your mixture which can result in a flat cake, and nobody wants that! Use your recipe as a guide to prevent this from happening.
Preparation is key
To speed up the baking process (and make your life easier), there are a few things you can do: Read through the recipe before you start, so you know exactly what you need to do and when. Make sure all ingredients are out of the cupboards and fridge, so they are ready for you to measure out. Pre-heat the oven, so you can put your bake in straight away when you’ve finished preparing it.
Place your cake in the fridge or freezer to cool
Before you can fill or decorate your cake, you need to make sure it is completely cool, otherwise your cake will end up a melted mess! Place your cake in the fridge or freezer to speed up the cooling process.
Make your butter room temperature in minutes
If your recipe needs room temperature butter but you forgot to get your butter out of the fridge, don’t panic! Fill a glass with hot water and leave it for a minute to let the glass heat up, then empty the glass and place it over your butter. After a few minutes, your butter will be ‘at room temperature. Take care when putting hot water in your glass, water that is too hot can cause the glass to crack!
Save time by making two things at once
If you have multiple recipes you want to make, don’t feel like you have to give up loads of your time. For example, if you want to make a cake and some flapjacks, start making your flapjacks when your cake is in the oven baking. Then you get two delicious treats in half the time!
Clean while you work
Probably the thing that all cooks dread, cleaning up the mess when the meal is over. Clean up as you go to make your life easier. Wipe the sides down if you spill some flour, put dirty dishes in the dishwasher when you’re done with them, and put your ingredients away when you have finished using them. All of these things make the final cleaning up process as painless as possible.
Don’t forget Lyle’s Golden Syrup!
Our range of Lyle’s Golden Syrup adds a gorgeous flavour to these quick recipes, making them irresistible to anyone who comes across them. Explore our range of Golden Syrup to take your baking to the next level.
[1] MiNDFOOD [Online] Why cooking makes you happy [written 27th July 2020] Available from: https://rb.gy/6lieg2
[2] OSF HealthCare [Online] Screen Time for Kids; How Much is Too Much? [written 10th January 2020] Available from: https://rb.gy/wprk3v
