The Cookie Counter - Our Recipes (2024)

Red Velvet Cupcakes

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Strawberry & Elderflower Cake

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Carrot Cake

coming soon!

Triple Chocolate Brownies

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Cinnamon Buns

Times: hands-on = 45 minutes plus rising, bake = 35 minutes

Makes: 12

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 500g strong white bread flour or self raising flour

• 50g caster sugar

• 7g fast action dried yeast

• 200ml plant based milk

• 100g unsalted vegan butter

• 120g plain vegan yogurt or nut butter (any egg alternative)

• large pinch of salt

For the cinnamon butter:

• 100g unsalted vegan butter

• 75g light brown soft sugar

• 2 tbsp ground cinnamon

For the glaze:

• 75g unsalted vegan butter

• 3 tbsp golden syrup

• 3 tbsp light brown soft sugar

Tools needed:

30 x 30cm baking tin - greased and lined with parchment paper

Method:

1. Firstly, combine all dry ingredients in a stand mixer using the dough hook - flour, sugar, yeast and salt.

2. Warm the milk in a small pan on a low heat for around 2 minutes - once heated add in butter and stir until dissolved and add to dry mix.

3. Add your egg alternative, mix until combined. Once combined, knead on a low-medium speed for around 8 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic. This could also be done by hand.

4. Form the dough into a ball, return to the bowl and cover - leave this to prove in a warm area for around 1 and 1/2 hours or until doubled in size.

5. To make the cinnamon butter beat the butter, sugar and cinnamon until smooth and creamy.

6. Knead the dough on a floured surface for 30 seconds then cover again and leave to relax for 5 minutes.

7. Flour the surface, and roll out the dough to a 50x30cm rectangle with the longest side closest to you.

8. Spread the cinnamon butter over the dough leaving a 1cm gap between the edges. Add grated vegan chocolate if desired.

9. Starting with the longest side nearest you, roll the dough into a neat and tight spiral. Cut the roll into 12 slices and place with the cut side up in the greased and lined baking tin. Cover and leave to prove for another 30 minutes or until doubled in size.

10. Heat the oven to 180℃/160℃/gas mark 4 and bake for 25 minutes until risen and golden brown.

11. Whilst the buns are baking, prepare the glaze. In a small pan on a low-medium heat, stir together the butter, sugar and syrup. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 2 minutes until sticky and deep golden.

12. Remove buns from the oven and spoon the glaze over - return to the oven for another 5-10 minutes until sticky and deep golden and enjoy!

Strawberry & Elderflower Cake

Times: 40 minutes hands on, bake 30 mins

Serves: 10

Ingredients

For the sponge:

275g self raising flour

250g unsalted vegan butter - softened

275g caster sugar

2 tbsp elderflower cordial

1tsp vanilla extract

½ grated lemon zest

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tbsp salt

Your preferred substitute for 5 eggs - we are using a mixture of vinegar and baking soda

For the filling:

300g strawberries - sliced

4 tbsp elderflower cordial

300ml vegan double cream or your preferred substitute

4 tbsp strawberry jam

For the meringue:

100g caster sugar

pinch of salt

Your preferred substitute for 2 egg whites - we are using aquafaba

Tools Needed:

3 20cm cake tins, greased and lined

icing sugar for dusting, handful of strawberries, fresh elderflowers for decoration (optional)

Method:

1. Heat the oven to 170℃/150℃fan/gas mark 3.

2. Make the sponge: beat the butter and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the beater on a medium speed for maximum 5 minutes until pale and creamy.

3. Add your egg substitute in sections, beating well between each addition. Add the cordial, milk, vanilla and lemon zest and mix well.

4. Sift in the flour, baker powder and salt into the bowl and mix until just combined then beat until smooth. Divide the mixture evenly between the three cake tins and level with a palette knife.

5. Make the meringue: whisk your egg white alternative and salt to get soft peaks. Add the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time whisking well between each to ensure the mixture is smooth and stiff. Spoon the meringue over the top of one of the sponges and swirl for effect.

6. Bake the sponges on the middle shelf for around 25 minutes or until well risen and golden, checking with a wooden skewer to ensure it's baked right through. Remove the two plain sponges from the oven, then 5 minutes later removed the meringue topped sponge.

7. Leave to cool for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack with the meringue facing upwards.

8. Make the filling: tip the strawberries into a bowl and add 1 tablespoon of elderflower cordial, cover and leave for 30 minutes. Whip the double cream with the remaining cordial until soft peaks.

9. Spread half of the strawberry jam on one sponge, cover with whipped cream then add half of the sliced strawberries on top. Cover with the second sponge and repeat this. Place the meringue covered sponge on top and gently press together. Leave as is or decorate and enjoy!

Pesto Star Bread

Times: 45 mins hands on (+rising) bake 30 mins

Serves: 10

Ingredients:

500g strong white bread flour

7g fast action dried yeast

50g unsalted vegan butter

275ml plant based milk

150g basil pesto

1tsp caster sugar

½ tsp salt

1 tsp vinegar & 1tsp baking soda (or your preferred egg alternative)

3 rounded tbsp grated parmesan

ground black pepper

Tools Needed:

large baking tray, greased and lined

glass with a 6-7cm diameter rim

Method:

1. Make the dough: add the flour, yeast, sugar and salt to a stand mixer equipped with the dough hook. Season well with pepper then combine.

2. Warm the milk in a small pan over a low heat then add to dry mixture with butter, vinegar and baking soda (or your preferred egg alternative) - mix on a low speed until combined then knead on a medium speed for around 4 minutes or until smooth and elastic.

3. Shape the dough into a ball, cover and leave to rise for at least 45 minutes or until doubled in size. After doubling in size, knead for 30 seconds to ensure all air pockets are removed.

4. Weigh and divide the dough into 4 equal pieces - shape each piece into a ball, cover and leave to rest for 5 minutes.

5. On a floured surface, roll out the first piece of dough to a 28cm disc, using a dinner plate as a guide. Carefully transfer the disc to the greased and lined baking sheet. Roll out the remaining dough to the same size.

6. Spread 50g of pesto over the first dough disc, leaving a 2cm gap around the edge. Scatter 1 tablespoon of parmesan and lightly brush the border with milk. Carefully top with the second disc and repeat the steps with the pesto, parmesan and milk. Repeat this until finished layering.

7. Place the glass with the 6-7cm rim in the middle of the dough. Using a long bladed knife, cut the dough into 16 evenly spaced strips from the edge of the glass to the outside edge of the dough.

8. Pick up 2 adjacent strips - holding one in each hand, twist the strip in your right hand twice clockwise and the strip in your left hand twice anticlockwise, so that they are being twisted in opposite directions to each other. Twist, press and pinch the ends together to seal into a point.

9. Repeat all the way around the dough until you have an 8-pointed star then remove the glass. Loosely cover the dough and leave to prove for 30-45 minutes or until doubled in size.

10. Heat oven to 190℃/170℃fan/gas mark 5 - lightly brush the bread with milk and bake for around 30 minutes. Remove when golden brown and well risen and then enjoy!

Triple Chocolate Brownies

Times: hands on: 20 minutes, bake: 30 minutes

Makes: 12

Ingredients:

For the brownies:

375g unsalted vegan butter

375g dark chocolate (most dark chocolate is already vegan)

150g vegan white chocolate

150g vegan milk chocolate

350g light brown sugar

225g plain flour

1/2 tsp salt

Your preferred substitute for 6 eggs - we are using vinegar and baking soda. 1 tbsp of each = 1 egg.

For decorating:

25g dark chocolate

1/4 tsp sunflower oil

Tools needed:

33x23cm baking tin, greased and lined

piping bag

Method:

1. Heat the oven to 180℃/160℃/gas mark 4.

2. Melt the butter in a pan over a low heat. Add the dark chocolate and remove from the heat, stirring until the chocolate has melted and is of a smooth consistency.

3. Add your egg substitute to a large mixing bowl and mix in the sugar until just combined. Gradually pour in the melted chocolate and butter mixture in, whisking until smooth. Fold in the flour and salt, then mix in the white and milk chocolates.

4. Pour the mixture into the greased and lined baking tin and bake for 25 minutes for gooey brownies or for 30 minutes for a more cake like consistency.

5. Once cooled, remove from the tin. Melt the remaining dark chocolate and sunflower oil in a small heatproof bowl over a pan of slightly simmering water. Stir until smooth, remove from the heat then drizzle the melted chocolate over the brownies.

Lemon Drizzle Cake

Times: hands on - 10 minutes, bake - 15-20 minutes

Makes: 1 loaf

Ingredients

For the loaf:

170g caster sugar

170g self raising flour

170g unsalted vegan butter

Your preferred substitute for 2 eggs - we are using vinegar and baking powder mixture.

Pinch of salt

Zest of 2 lemons

For the drizzle:

90g icing sugar

Juice of 2 lemons

Tools needed:

1 loaf baking tin, greased and lined

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 170℃/gas mark 3.

2. Whisk the butter until light and fluffy.

3. Add the flour, sugar, salt, egg substitute and lemon zest on a medium speed for around 5 minutes until smooth.

4. Pour the mixture into the greased and lined baking tin and bake on the middle shelf for 15-20 minutes, or until golden and cooked through. (This can be checked using a wooden skewer)

5. Sieve the icing sugar into a mixing bowl, mix in the lemon juice and 2tbsp boiling water. Add more for the icing to be thinner, and less to be thicker.

6. Once the loaf has been removed from the oven, pour the drizzle over straight away to allow it to sink into the loaf.

7. Enjoy!