The beginning of the week marked World Baking Day (May 17), but if you’ve still got the baking bug then Wing Yip, the UK’s largest Oriental grocer, has some tasty recipes that will have you heading for the kitchen and cracking out the mixing bowl faster than you can say ‘gingersnap biscuit’.

Black Sesame and Chocolate Banana Loaf

Banana bread is a classic, homemade baked loaf which has grown in popularity during lockdown. But why not give it a twist using sesame seeds? They’ll enhance the bake with a signature rich and nutty taste. Wing Yip’s Black Sesame Chocolate Banana Loaf Cakes are a great option for those looking to be a little more adventurous with their classic bakes.

Black Sesame and Chocolate Banana Loaf

Makes 8 mini loaves

Ingredients

50g butter, softened plus 2tbsp to grease the loaf tins

1 ripe banana

1 egg

1 tbsp milk

80g caster sugar

40g plain flour

40g self-raising flour

½ tsp baking powder

3 tbsp black sesame seeds

1 tbsp coco powder

50g white chocolate

Method:

  • Pre-heat the oven to 160°c. Grease and line with greaseproof paper eight mini loaf tins.
  • Lightly mash the banana with a fork in a mixing bowl. Add the milk, egg and sugar to the banana and mix.
  • Using a sieve, add the flours and baking powder to the banana and mix well.
  • Using an electric spice grinder, mill 2 tbsp of the black sesame seeds into a fine powder.
  • Divide the loaf batter into two bowls and add the black sesame powder to just one of the bowls along with the cocoa powder.
  • Add each loaf batter to the loaf tins alternating to create a marble effect until the loaf tins are just over half full.
  • When all loaf tins have been filled, place them onto a baking tray and bake in the pre-heated oven for 15- 20 minutes or until a skewer when inserted comes out clean.
  • Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 20 minutes and then carefully remove the loaves from the tins and leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
  • To decorate, melt the white chocolate either in the microwave or in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water.
  • Drizzle the white chocolate over the cooled loaves and then sprinkle over the remaining 1 tbsp of black sesame seeds.
  • Leave for 15 minutes before serving to allow the white chocolate to cool. 

Golden Gingersnap Biscuits

Ideal for a mid-afternoon snack, Golden Gingersnap Cookies provide the perfect balance between spicy and sweet and are easy to make from scratch at home. To add a touch of sparkle, sprinkle the biscuits with edible glitter just after they’ve come out of the oven.

Golden Gingersnap Cookies

Makes 24 biscuits

Ingredients:

225g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

½ tsp salt

2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

2 tsp ground ginger

100g soft light brown sugar

100g cold butter, cut into cubes

80g golden syrup

Icing sugar for dusting

Method:

  • Pre-heat the oven to 180°c and line a couple of baking trays with greaseproof paper. In a large bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients and then rub in the cold butter until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the golden syrup and mix together until a dough is formed. If necessary, add 1tsp water to help bring the mixture together.
  • Divide the mixture into 24 equal pieces and using your hands, lightly roll each piece into a ball. Place six balls of dough onto each tray and leave plenty of space for them to spread and then lightly squash them down. Keep the remaining dough in the fridge.
  • Bake the biscuits in the oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden and cracked. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • Repeat with the remaining dough until all 24 biscuits have been baked.
  • To serve, lightly dust with icing sugar.

Note: sprinkle with edible glitter just after they’ve come out of the oven to add a touch of sparkle to your biscuits.

Vegan Coconut Cupcakes

Looking for a vegan-friendly snack? Then look no further than Wing Yip’s Vegan Coconut Cupcakes. Bake a few of these for a delicious sweet treat. Before serving, top the cupcakes with some coconut slices or flakes, which will give you a taste of the tropical. 

Vegan Coconut Cupcakes

Makes 12

Ingredients:

225g vegan spread

400g granulated sugar

400ml Nature’s Charm All-Natural Coconut Milk

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp coconut extract/flavouring

400g self-raising flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

For the topping:

400ml Nature’s Charm Coconut Whipping Cream, chilled the night before in the fridge

1 tbsp icing sugar

80g coconut slices/flakes

What you will need:

12 cupcake cases

Vegan Coconut CupcakesMethod:

  • Pre-heat the oven to 175c and line a cupcake or muffin tray with the cupcake cases.
  • In a mixer, or in a large bowl with using an electric mixer, combine the vegan spread, sugar, coconut milk, vinegar, vanilla extract and coconut flavouring and slowly mix together. Once the mixture has just come together, mix for 3-4 minutes on high speed until light and airy.
  • In a separate bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add 1/3 of the dry mixture to the wet mixture at a time and slowly mix together until just combined.
  • Divide the batter between the 12 cupcake cases and bake for 12-14 minutes or until a sharp knife when inserted, comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 10-15 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • To make the topping, ensure that the whipping cream has been chilled in the fridge for at least 8 hours. Empty the contents into a large bowl and add the icing sugar. Using an electric mixer or with a whisk, whip the cream for 4-5 minutes until thick.
  • Add 2-3 tbsp of the whipped cream to a cupcake and smooth down with the back of a spoon. Finish with a 1-2 pieces of the coconut slices/flakes.
  • Serve immediately or keep in the fridge until ready to serve. 

 

Wing Yip has four superstores located in Birmingham, Manchester, Cricklewood and Croydon, and an online shop at wingyip.com.