Easter Baking with Rachel's

Vanilla Easter Cup Cakes

Simple cup cakes, decorated with a delicious swirl of butter icing and decorated with chocolate mini eggs.

Ingredients 

220g butter or margarine, room temperature 

220g caster sugar 

2 large eggs, beaten 

220g self raising flour, sifted

2 tbsp Rachel’s low fat vanilla yogurt

Icing 

80g unsalted butter, room temperature

250g icing sugar  

25g Rachel’s low fat vanilla yogurt 

Serves: 12 Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 20-25 minutes

Method

1.Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 5.

2.Line a cup cake or muffin tray with paper cases.

3.Beat together the butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs a little at a time.

4.Fold in the flour and yogurt.

5.Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until half full.

6.Bake in the oven until golden brown and springy to touch or test using a skewer, if it comes away clean the cakes are ready. Leave  them to cool on a wire rack.

7.Meanwhile prepare the icing. Begin by beating the butter and icing sugar until pale and well mixed, ideally using  an electric mixer.  Add the yogurt and continue to beat on medium to high speed until the icing is fluffy. The longer you beat the lighter the icing.

8.Spoon the icing into a piping bag fitted with a star piping nozzle. In a circular motion swirl the icing around each cake.

9.Decorate with mini eggs.

PER SERVING: 345kcal, Protein 2.6g, Carbs 43.4g, Fat 17.7g, Sat Fat 10.9g, Fibre 1.2g, Sugar 33.5g, Salt 0.4g

COST PER SERVING: £0.15


We will be baking these when we get back from holiday over the Easter weekend!  Rachel's sent me some of their delicious yogurts to get creative in the kitchen with.  I love using their thick and creamy yogurt as an ingredient in both sweet and savoury dishes.  


Pasta Bake Topping


The Rachel's Organic Natural Yogurt makes a healthy alternative to cheese sauce to use on Pasta Bakes.  Simply mix with an egg and a sprinkle of herbs.  Pour over pasta mixed with a Quorn Bolognese sauce. Top with grated cheese and bake in the oven at GM 6 until golden brown.  It is delicious, quick and easy.

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Tropical Sunshine Muffin Recipe

After being fortunate to attend the amazing event at Buxted Park with Rachel's Organic and watching Head Chef Lucy Hyder in action, I've felt inspired to get inventive in the kitchen.

After a fabulous hamper arrived from Rachel's,  I was ready to get creative using their fabulous yogurt flavours as inspiration!  (After sampling them first of course!!)  Yogurt isn't just for eating on its own, it's also an excellent ingredient for baking.

The Pineapple, Coconut and Banana Bio Live Yogurt is a taste of sunshine to brighten up a cold, damp day.  The tropical, taste explosion is like a Pina Colada in guilt free form!  Simply gorgeous and the inspiration behind my Tropical Sunshine Muffins (a recipe I have personally adapted using ideas from a Muffin Recipe Book).

Tropical Sunshine Muffins

150g SR Flour

Half Teaspn Bicarb of Soda

80g Unrefined Caster Sugar

60g Melted Butter

1 Beaten Free Range Egg

5 Tablespns Rachel's Organic Pineapple, Coconut, Banana Yogurt

1 Tablespn Orange Juice

• Mix all your dry ingredients in a bowl.  
• Mix all your wet ingredients together.  
• Quickly and gently combine your wet and dry ingredients and spoon into pre-prepared muffin cases.  
• Cook for 15 minutes in a pre-heated oven at GM5.

• Decorate with glace icing made using Icing sugar and orange juice (freshly squeezed is more flavoursome!)  
• We sprinkled yellow sugar decorations on top to make them look really full of sunshine!

**Lazy Cooks Hint....if you describe your style as rustic, then you don't have to worry about uneven icing!!**


These cakes are really the lightest muffins ever with a really spongy, light texture.  The tropical flavour is fruity, enhanced by the bonus of finding pieces of pineapple and coconut inside.  Give them a go!!


Just because its cold outside, doesn't mean you can't enjoy the sunshine!!!

For more information on Rachel's go to rachelsorganic.co.uk.
The Pineapple, Coconut and Banana bio live yogurt is currently available from Sainsbury's, Waitrose and Ocado.

My "Moment" with Rachel's and Hand-Picked Hotels

Sometimes in life, perfect pairings are created...such as Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, strawberries and cream or Brad and Angelina.  One other such perfect pairing that has recently come to my attention is the delightful union of Hand Picked Hotels and Rachel's Organic!

Culinary expert and Hand Picked Hotel's Head Chef Lucy Hyder has partnered with Rachel's as part of their "Moments" campaign.  Celebrating that moment in the day when you can relax and unwind with your favourite, luxurious Rachel's Organic product, the "Moments" campaign asks us to reflect on that special time when time stands still and we can enjoy an oasis of calm in the storm of our hectic day!

I was absolutely over the moon to be chosen to enjoy my own special moment with Rachel's and Hand Picked Hotels, when I was invited to the sumptuous 4* Buxted Park Hotel in East Sussex for an exclusive cookery and dining experience to help celebrate the partnership.

I am already a big fan of Rachel's.  I love their passion and commitment to producing gorgeous organic products in harmony with nature. Ever since reviewing a selection of Rachel's products back in March, the brand has been a firm family favourite.  The superior tasting dairy products made with love and the company ethos make Rachel's a quality brand with a big heart.

Hand Picked Hotels boast seventeen superb country house hotels throughout the UK, Scotland and Jersey, where elegant architecture and exquisite interiors blend seamlessly with modern comforts and technology and you are encouraged to kick off your shoes, feel at home and relax.  They stand at the forefront of a renaissance in fine British hospitality.  These hotels are built for pleasure and enjoyment with attentive friendly staff who really care.  They offer a fine dining  experience with emphasis on sourcing local produce where possible, creating a better quality and flavour of food made with creative passion and culinary flair.  Combining such luxury with the relaxed atmosphere of home is a perfect combination for those of us who enjoy the finer things in life without any pretensions.

It makes perfect sense that these two brands, who do so much to indulge us in blissful "me time",  should go hand in hand!  A perfect pairing indeed!

On October 5th, I drove the 4 hours down to East Sussex accompanied by my eldest daughter Megan to be guests at Buxted Park Hotel with Rachel's.  From the moment I arrived at my VIP parking space in the courtyard I knew I was in for something special.  When we were shown to the King George V Suite, our home for the night, my feelings were confirmed! This two roomed suite was fit for royalty!  Antique furnishings, original features, works of art, a marble fireplace and outstanding views of the estate make this a truly indulgent experience.  But there is no feeling of intimidation...it is relaxing, homely and comfortable.

Buxted Park Hotel

Our view of some of Buxted Park's 312 acres!

We were treated to a cocktail reception and an introductory presentation in the hotel's cinema.  From there we made our way into the kitchens to enjoy a cookery demonstration with Head Chef Lucy Hyder.  She was amazing.  A visionary who transforms simple, quality ingredients into outstanding dishes where textures and flavours combine to deliver a contemporary gourmet meal.  She was down to earth, with a passion for home cooked comfort foods and home grown, seasonal produce. Her attitude to sustainability was wholesome and honest and I loved how she spoke so passionately about food.  Lucy has created some inspiring recipes using Rachel's Organic Yogurts that she demonstrated to us.  Gourmet Cookery Schools are held at the Buxted Park Hotel where you can learn the tips of the trade needed to cook gourmet dinner party dinners at home.

Lucy Hyder (and me!)

I will be sharing a recipe from Lucy Hyder using Rachel's Organic yogurt in another blog post coming soon!

Using Rachel's Natural Yogurt on Lamb Tagine

In the evening we gathered in the Crystal Bar for exquisite canapes and champagne.  From there we made our way into the sophisticated and contemporary Dining Room where we ate from the bespoke Rachel's Menu.  We were served food matched wines throughout and were overwhelmed by the amazing dining experience that we were given.

Vegetarian Canapes

Gazpacho, Celery Sorbet and Vodka Jelly

Goat's Cheese Risotto and Cherry Tomatoes with Balsamic Glaze

Mediterranean Vegetable Pave with Chick Pea and Apricot Cassoulet

Cranberry Sorbet

Chocolate and Almond Tart with Apricot Sorbet

I can honestly say I have never enjoyed a dining experience like this in my life...it was exquisite.  The vegetarian options were inspired.  The flavours in each dish worked so well together. I was really blown away by the attention to detail, the skill and the craftsmanship involved in the production of this meal.  My compliments to the chef Lucy Hyder and her team!!

Check out the Hand Picked Hotels website for details of locations, dining experiences, events and special offers available at the seventeen locations.

Go to the Rachel's Facebook Page for a great competition...just share your moment and create your very own pot!  Here's mine!

Find out more about Rachel's on the website. Look out for the Rachel's new TV ad too!

**The experience was completely complimentary...I feel so privileged to have had my moment with Rachel's and Hand Picked Hotels! It was wonderful! **

Rachel's Organic...Made With Love

Rachel's Organic is the organic dairy brand!  With a great range of delicious dairy products, they are dedicated to making gorgeously pure tastes with the very best organic ingredients. From their children's range of wonderful organic pure yogurts for your little ones to their sophisticated, authentic adult flavoured yogurts and desserts, Rachel's Organic has something for everyone.

I was extremely lucky to receive a hamper of dairy goodies from Rachel's Organic to try out Inside the Wendy House.  With my team of Tiny Testers I had plenty of willing helpers ready to tuck in!

The 'My First Yogurts' are perfect for weaning from 4-6 months and make a yummy treat for  babies and toddlers.  They are thick and smooth and perfectly blended with pure fruit with no additives.  Strawberry, banana, mango and raspberry flavours introduce baby to different tastes.  Freddy enjoyed eating these on his own with a spoon, slurping up the yogurty goodness!

As taste buds get more adventurous, the 'Taste Explorers' range comes into its own.  The Yogurt Squeezies are fun tubes of pure, tasty organic yogurt in fruity flavours.  As you can suck them straight from the tube they are perfect for lunchboxes.  8 year old Kizzy said "they are extremely yummy and I love that they are organic and healthy.  They taste so delicious and it's more fun eating it from the squeezie tube!"  I gave Freddy one under supervision (they are not recommended for children under 3) and he loved being like his sister sucking the yogurt straight from the tube.  A real hit!

The 'Taste Explorers' Yogurt Mutipack is the same delicious yogurt from the 'My First Yogurts' with the flavours mixed up a bit!  Strawberry and Banana, Peach and Mango, Apple and Apricot and Raspberry and Peach flavours give babies a more exciting fruity flavour to explore.  Freddy was very impressed by the fruity, smooth, no-bits dairy delights.

The 'Taste Explorers' Rice Pudding is an exciting, organic dessert perfect for children from 6 months.  Delicious hot or cold, it is a creamy, textured pudding made from organic rice, sugar, milk and egg.  Wholesome, tasty goodness.  Freddy loved having a rice pudding after his dinner.  He had it cold, straight from the pot and really enjoyed it.  This was his first taste of rice pudding and he definitely is a fan....he takes after me in this.  I adore rice pudding which brings me onto the next product that we taste tested.

'Divine Rice Twinpack' is Rachel Organic's slow-cooked, traditional, creamy rice pudding.  With less than 5% fat and 130 calories in the pot, I didn't even feel guilty tucking into this.  As I mentioned, I adore rice pudding and I have such fond memories of my Mum's rice puddings, so I was excited about sampling this product.  Oh my goodness!!  When they say it is "divine" they are not exaggerating!  It was so creamy, rich and had just the right level of sweetness.  It was really gorgeous and I cannot rave enough about how good it was.  My only complaint was that I finished it!  It totally knocks the socks off any shop bought rice pudding I've ever eaten (and I've eaten a fair few in my quest for the perfect rice pudding dessert!)  Brilliant!

We also had two pots of Rachel's Organic 'Greek Style Yogurt'.  These family sized pots contained extra thick, creamy Greek yogurt flavoured with Coconut and Honey.  The Coconut Flavour contained creamed coconut and coconut pieces for a textured treat.  It was quite a stunning, sophisticated yogurt taste sensation with a tropical twist!  We ate it on its own but it could be used mixed with fruit or cereals or even spooned onto curry. There is a fab recipe for Chocolate and Coconut Cupcakes...so I'll be getting some more to try it out!   The Honey Flavour was Daddy's favourite!  The honey is collected from the foothills of the Himalayas and blended with the rich, creamy Greek yogurt.  It was an authentic, adult flavoured yogurt that Ian happily polished off.

All the products we were given to try were thoroughly enjoyed.  As a mum, I was delighted to know that they were all made from organic milk  with no artificial additives, colours, preservatives or flavourings.  Dairy products provide calcium which is essential for strong teeth and bones, and the probiotic cultures in the yogurt help maintain a healthy digestive system.  The health benefits are all very positive and the "made with love" ethos of Rachel's Organic inspires confidence in the products.

Check out Rachel's Organic Facebook Official Fan Page  for news, information and more fabulous recipes.  Don't forget to say Hello and tell them you came from Inside the Wendy House!