Have you been bitten by the Bake Off bug? Along with most of the rest of the country, I most certainly have. I watched a wee bit of Series 1 and 2 but it was Series 3 that really caught my attention. That was the one with Brendan Lynch, James Morton and John Whaite in the final three. Being a Scot I had a real soft spot for James (and his Fair Isle jumpers) and was delighted to meet him in when I hosted a Bread demo and Q&A session as part of Aberdeen University May Festival.
For the last couple of series, and the celebrity specials, a group of Aberdeen based fans of the show started meeting up on a weekly basis at each others houses to watch the programme and indulge in a cuppa, a bit of baking chat and lots of cake. It's been great fun watching with like minded individuals and having a valid excuse to get together on a Wednesday night for much sniggering at the innuendo, squealing at the disasters and celebrating of the successes.
The theme for Week 4 this year is batter and from the looks of the trailer the bakes would appear to be Yorkshire Puddings, Pancakes and Churros. Rachel’s Organic who make those amazingly good creamy yoghurts, have compiled their best batter recipes and I'm sharing the Churros one below so you can try your very own batter challenge at home. All this batter talk has reminded me of a tongue twister of a batter nursery rhyme from my childhood Mother Goose book.
Betty Botter bought a bit of butter;
“But,” she said, “this butter’s bitter!
If I put it in my batter
It will make my batter bitter
But a bit of better butter
Will make my batter better.”
so she bought a bit of butter
Better than her bitter butter,
Made her bitter batter better.
So ’twas better Betty Botter
Bought a bit of better butter.
Hopefully no bitter batters on this week's episode although I am feeling rather bitter to learn that this will be the last series of Bake Off on the BBC.
You can also find fab batter recipes for pancakes and waffles on the recipe section of the Rachel's website and learn more about the local farmers that produce the 100% Organic Milk that goes into all of their produce. I promise not to judge you if you also include some chocolate as a dip alongside the Rachel’s low fat vanilla yogurt. On your marks, get set, Bake!
Churros with Low Fat Rachel's Vanilla Yogurt
Serves: 4-6
Preparation time: 35 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
100g unsalted butter, cold diced
175g self raising flour, sieved
½ tsp baking powder, sieved
3 large eggs, beaten
1 tbsp Rachel’s low fat vanilla yogurt
Sunflower oil, for frying
Cinnamon Sugar Ingredients:
150g caster sugar, for dusting
1tsp cinnamon, for dusting
Dip Ingredients:
225g Rachel’s low fat vanilla yogurt
- Take the butter and add to a pan containing 200ml cold water. Heat until boiling, then working quickly remove from the heat
- Add the sieved flour and baking powder, and beat rapidly until a smooth paste is formed which should come away cleanly from the sides of the pan
- Allow the mixture to cool slightly and add the beaten eggs one at a time. After each addition ensure the mixture is glossy and continue until it is combined. Add the yogurt and stir again
- Leave to rest covered with cling film or a tea towel for 30 minutes
- In a bowl combine the sugar and cinnamon and reserve this for dusting
- Fill a large saucepan a third full with sunflower oil. Heat until sizzling or until a cube of bread browns in one minute. Take a large piping bag with a star nozzle and fill it with batter
- Squeeze the batter into 5cm lengths into the hot oil and snip the end with either a knife or scissors. Do not pipe more than three lengths at any one time as they will stick together
- Carefully turn each churro in the hot oil until all sides are golden brown and crispy
- Remove from the oil and drain on kitchen roll. Roll quickly in the cinnamon sugar and serve with the yogurt as a dip
Disclosure : This is a commissioned post for Rachel's. As always, all views expressed are my own. Recipe and images courtesy of Rachel's.
Thank you for supporting the brands who make it possible for me to continue to share my Edible Scottish Adventures with you.
Gosh these look fantastic! I've never tried making churros myself, but I've always wanted to. Need to give these a go!
ReplyDeleteThe thought of deep fat frying is a bit scary. I always use a wok.
DeleteYum - I bet these are delicious! Now I really really fancy one! I haven't decided what I'm going to make yet for batter week - might do yorkshires. Thanks for linking up to #CookBlogShare
ReplyDeleteYorkshires have got to be the ultimate batter recipe.
DeleteI *****love***** churros. So amazingly addictive. I need to make some again, yours look fantastic!
ReplyDeleteThey definitely have addictive qualities.
DeleteThese look delicious! I cannot wait for GBBO tonight
ReplyDeleteMe neither. The Churros Showstoppers will be quite the challenge I reckon!
DeleteYum! I love churros. We had some amazing ones from a street vendor in Mexico.
ReplyDeleteOh I bet they were fab. Can't beat street food in an authentic setting.
DeleteLovely recipe!! I so enjoyed watching batter week yesterday - I love Bake Off so much and I am so sad that this will be the last show in its current format. Channel 4 I was fine with but I simply cannot imagine GBBO without Mel and Sue. :-( Eb x
ReplyDeleteI'm feeling very bereft about the lack of Mel and Sue going forward. Ad breaks I could just about cope with but not that. Think I need to eat some more Churros to cheer me up!
DeleteThese look amazing claire. I have to admit I've never tried Churros before but having watched the episode on Wednesday and seeing your recipe here I am very much tempted to give them a try. I love the sound of your GBBO get-togethers - they sound a lot of fun :-)
ReplyDeleteAngela x
You MUST give them a try next time you spot them. They are a staple of Festivals and Street Food these days and are rather addictive.
DeleteExcited to see this recipe as I've fancied these ever since watching Bake Off this week xx #cookblogshare
ReplyDeleteBake Off always gets me in the mood for eating whatever it is they've made that week.
DeleteI love churros and have also made some! These look so good. Thank you for sharing with #CookBlogShare x
ReplyDeleteI'm off to check out your ones. Have seen some fantastically creative flavours and shapes online this week.
DeleteYour churros are brilliant but that tongue twister is a killer! I'm as addicted as every other year - sad that it is leaving the Beeb but I'll no doubt give GBBO a go on C4. Thanks for joining in with #BakeoftheWeek great to be back x
ReplyDeleteI fondly recollect my Granny reading out the tongue twister from my Mother Goose Nursery Rhyme Book (which I still have) I'm with you that Bake Off will no longer be the same on Ch4
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