Recipes from The Hummingbird Bakery

The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook by Tarek Malouf and The Hummingbird Bakers, with lush photography Peter Cassidy, can be picked up for £16.99. Head to Ryland Peters & Small for more info.

Marshmallow Cupcakes

Either Vanilla or Chocolate Frosting (see below) can be used to top these cupcakes, with bits of marshmallow to give texture. Crumbling digestive biscuits on top is also good addition.

• 120g plain flour
• 140g caster sugar
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• a pinch of salt
• 45g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 120ml whole milk
• 1 egg
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 12 medium pink marshmallows
• 200g mini marshmallows, for the frosting
• 1 quantity Vanilla or Chocolate Frosting (see below)
• edible glitter, to decorate
• a 12-hole cupcake tray, lined with paper cases

Makes 12

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/Gas 3.

2. Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) and beat on slow speed until you get a sandy consistency and everything is combined.

3. Gradually pour in half the milk and beat until the milk is just incorporated.

4. Whisk the egg, vanilla extract and remaining milk together in a separate bowl for a few seconds, then pour into the flour mixture and continue beating until just incorporated (scrape any unmixed ingredients from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula).

5. Continue mixing for a couple more minutes until the mixture is smooth. Do not overmix.

6. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until two-thirds full and bake in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes, or until light golden and the sponge bounces back when touched. A skewer inserted in the centre should come out clean.

7. Leave the cupcakes to cool slightly in the tray before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

8. Put the medium marshmallows in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water.

9. Leave until melted and smooth. When the cupcakes are cold, hollow out a small section in the centre of each one and fill with a dollop of melted marshmallow. Leave to cool.

10. Stir the mini marshmallows into the Frosting by hand until evenly dispersed.

11. Spoon the frosting on top of the cupcakes and decorate with edible glitter.

Optional Toppings

Vanilla Frosting

• 250g icing sugar, sifted
• 80g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 25ml whole milk
• a couple of drops of vanilla extract

Makes enough to frost 12 cupcakes (double the recipe for 20cm cake)

1. Beat the icing sugar and butter together in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) on medium-slow speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed. Turn the mixer down to slow speed.

2. Combine the milk and vanilla extract in a separate bowl, then add to the butter mixture a couple of tablespoons at a time.

3. Once all the milk has been incorporated, turn the mixer up to high speed.

4. Continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy, at least 5 minutes. The longer the frosting is beaten, the fluffier and lighter it becomes.

Chocolate Frosting

• 300g icing sugar, sifted
• 100g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 40g cocoa powder, sifted
• 40ml whole milk

Makes enough to frost 12 cupcakes (double the recipe for 20cm cake)

1. Beat the icing sugar, butter and cocoa powder together in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) on medium-slow speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed. Turn the mixer down to slow speed.

2. Add the milk to the butter mixture a couple of tablespoons at a time. Once all the milk has been incorporated, turn the mixer up to high speed.

3. Continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. The longer the frosting is beaten, the fluffier and lighter it becomes.

Key Lime Pie

The Hummingbird Bakery doesn’t use any food colouring in its lime filling, just a bit of lime zest. Here, the Key Lime Pie is topped with a mound of freshly whipped cream, but you can use the same meringue as the Lemon Meringue Pie recipe found in the cookbook.

• 8 egg yolks
• 2 x 397g tins condensed milk
• freshly squeezed juice and grated zest of 5 limes, plus extra grated zest to decorate
• 450ml whipping cream

Crust

• 500g digestive biscuits
• 200g unsalted butter, melted
• a 23cm pie dish, greased

Makes 10–12 slices

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/Gas 3.

2. For the crust: Roughly break up the digestive biscuits and put them in a food processor. Process until finely ground.

3. Slowly pour the melted butter into the processor while the motor is running.

4. Press this mixture into the base and neatly up the side of the prepared pie dish, using the ball of your hand or a tablespoon to flatten and compress it.

5. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until deep golden and firm. Set aside to cool completely.

6.Turn the oven down to 150°C/300°F/Gas 2.

7. Put the egg yolks, condensed milk and lime juice and zest in a glass bowl and mix gently with a balloon whisk until all the ingredients are very well incorporated. The mixture will thicken naturally.

8. Pour into the cold pie crust and bake in the preheated oven for 20–30 minutes. The filling should be firm to the touch but still very slightly soft in the centre (not wobbly!).

9. Leave to cool completely, then cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight if possible.

10. When you are ready to serve the pie, whip the cream with a handheld electric whisk in a large bowl until soft peaks form, then spread over the pie and decorate with a little lime zest.

Traditional Brownies

Traditional brownies must be chewy, chocolaty and dense. Many other brownie recipes seen outside the USA are not really brownies! The Hummingbird Bakery doesn’t put nuts in this traditional recipe, but you can add walnuts or pecan nuts if you like.

These brownies are so popular in London, the bakery sells several trays every day. For chocolate overload, you can put chocolate chips into the mixture before baking!

• 200g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
• 175g unsalted butter
• 325g caster sugar
• 130g plain flour
• 3 eggs
• icing sugar, to decorate
• a 33cm x 23cm x 5cm baking tray, lined with greaseproof paper

Makes about 12 portions

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/Gas 3.

2. Put the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (do not let the base of the bowl touch the water).

3. Leave until melted and smooth.

4. Remove from the heat. Add the sugar and stir until well incorporated.

5. Add the flour and stir until well incorporated. Finally, stir in the eggs and mix until thick and smooth.

6. Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking tray and bake in the preheated oven for about 30–35 minutes, or until flaky on the top but still soft in the centre.

7. Be careful not to overcook otherwise the edges will become hard and crunchy.

8. Leave to cool completely before dusting with icing sugar, to decorate.