One savoury and two deliciously simple sweet treats from the popular Muir of Ord bakery
Bad Girl Bakery, a family-run bakery based in Muir of Ord, has developed a reputation for producing the very best handcrafted, homemade and beautifully baked delights.
Created daily by the friendly kitchen team, the bakery specialises in using seasonal ingredients to make cakes that often have hidden centres or something extra special about them – jammy crumble toppings or hidden surprises inside – but most importantly are a proper delicious treat.
The bakery now includes a shop with baking supplies and a daily changing takeaway menu.
Here they share some of their favourite recipes including a warming soup and brownie recipe from Jeni Hardie.
Her top tip for the brownies is to not let the cookie dough sit around once it’s all mixed, so it’s really important to get the oven on at 160C, line your trays, set your equipment out, then weigh out all your ingredients.
Meanwhile, the breakfast banana bread recipe is a very simple, one-bowl recipe which doesn’t use butter or eggs.
It’s vegan and a great one to have up your sleeve.
It’s a great base recipe to add whatever you fancy to it such as nuts, chocolate chips, swirls of Nutella or a handful of dried fruit.
Gluten-free chocolate brownie cookies
(Makes 10)
Ingredients
- 385g icing sugar
- 95g cocoa powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 medium eggs
- 125g chocolate chips (we use a mix of milk and white, but it’s up to you)
Method
- Pre-heat the oven to 160C.
- Line two standard baking trays with baking paper.
- Weigh out the chocolate chips into a small bowl and crack the eggs into another bowl.
- If using a stand mixer bowl add all the dry ingredients except the chocolate, and mix to combine. If you’re doing this by hand, whisk the dry ingredients with a hand whisk.
- Add your eggs to the dry ingredients and mix on low until all of it is mixed in.
This is a super thick mixture, so don’t think you’ve done it wrong, it’s meant to be thick! - Scape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is mixed.
- Next add in the chocolate chips and mix until they are evenly through the dough.
- Using an ice cream scoop or two soup spoons scoop out golf ball-size helpings of the mix and place on a lined baking sheet. They spread a lot so give them lots of space.
- Pop the trays in the oven for 17 mins. They should look soft when they are ready but not wet looking.
Roast sweet potato and red pepper soup
(Serves 6)
Ingredients
- 6 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into big chunks
- 4 red peppers, stalks pulled out, halved and deseeded
- 2 red onions, peeled and quartered
- 2 litres vegetable stock
- Olive oil
- Chili flakes
- Salt and pepper
Method
- Set the oven to 175C.
- Put all the chopped veg on a big baking tray and drizzle with olive oil and a pinch or two of chili flakes.
- Roast until the potato is soft and the peppers are slightly charred.
- Scoop the whole lot into a big pot and cover with hot stock and blend until it’s smooth.
- Add more stock till you get a consistency you like. Have a taste, add seasoning and chili flakes.
Breakfast banana bread
(Makes one loaf)
Ingredients
- 4 very ripe bananas
- 100g (weight) sunflower oil
- 135g light brown sugar
- 300g plain flour
- 4 heaped tsp baking powder
- 1½ tsp cinnamon
Method
- Set the oven to 165C.
- Line a 2lb loaf tin with baking parchment.
- In the bowl that will eventually hold everything, mash the bananas really, really well.
- Then add in the oil and sugar and mix till it’s all combined.
- In a separate bowl, weigh out the flour then add the baking powder and cinnamon.
- Mix well then add this to the banana mixture and mix again. Scrape it all into the loaf tin and take a second to level it out.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes, but check after 30 minutes to see if it’s browning too quickly. If so, loosely cover with foil.
- Use a skewer and probe the highest part of the loaf – it should come out clean.
- Let it cool in the tin for half an hour then turn it out.
- Don’t be tempted to cut it before it’s cool as it will crumble.
- It will keep really well for three days if it’s well wrapped and kept somewhere cool, but not in the fridge.
Further reading…
My Memories in Meals: A love-hate relationship with Nigella inspired Jeni to take up baking