6 Baking recipes using plain flour

Plain flour is one the most versatile flour types available in the market because you can use plain flour for a wide variety of baked goods. You can use plain flour to bake pastry, cakes, or shortbreads. Here are six brilliant baking recipes you can use using plain flour. Bon appétit!

1. Chocolate chip cookies

Ingredients

• 150g salted butter, softened
• 80g light brown muscovado sugar
• 80g granulated sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 225g plain flour
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• 200g plain chocolate chips or chunks

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 190C and line two baking sheets with non-stick baking paper.
2. Put 150g softened salted butter, 80g light brown muscovado sugar and 80g granulated sugar into a bowl and beat until creamy.
3. Beat in 2 tsp vanilla extract and 1 large egg.
4. Sift 225g plain flour, ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda and ¼ tsp salt into the bowl and mix it in with a wooden spoon.
5. Add 200g plain chocolate chips or chunks and stir well.
6. Use a teaspoon to make small scoops of the mixture, spacing them well apart on the baking trays. This mixture should make about 30 cookies.
7. Bake for 8–10 mins until they are light brown on the edges and still slightly soft in the centre if you press them.
8. Leave on the tray for a couple of mins to set and then lift onto a cooling rack.

2. Shortbread

Ingredients

• 300g butter, softened
• 140g golden caster sugar, plus 4 tbsp
• 300g plain flour
• 140g rice flour

Instructions

1. Place the butter and 140g sugar in a food processor and whizz until smooth.
2. Tip in both the flours and a pinch of salt, then whizz until mixture comes together.
3. Using your hands, roughly spread the mixture out in a 20 x 30 x 4cm baking tray. Cover with cling film and smooth over until there are no wrinkles. Place in the fridge, uncooked, for at least 30 mins and up to 2 days.
4. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Remove cling film, then lightly mark the shortbread all over with a fork.
5. Sprinkle with the remaining sugar, then bake for 20-25 mins.
6. Leave to cool in the tin, then cut into 24 thin slices. Shortbread will keep in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

3. Chocolate muffins

Ingredients

• 125g plain flour
• 25g cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 large egg
• 60g caster sugar
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 100ml whole milk
• 50g chocolate chips (optional)
• 100g icing sugar

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line a muffin tin with six muffin cases. Sieve the flour, cocoa and baking powder into a medium bowl. Mix together the egg, sugar, oil and milk together in a jug, then gradually pour into the dry ingredients (add chocolate chips now to make double chocolate muffins, if you like) and mix until combined.
2. Spoon the mixture evenly into the cake cases and bake for 20-25 mins until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.
3. Meanwhile, gradually mix ½-1 tbsp water into the icing sugar until you have a loose consistency that’s not too runny. Drizzle the icing over the muffins once cool.

4. Blueberry muffins

Ingredients

• 100g unsalted butter softened, plus 1 tbsp, melted, for greasing
• 140g golden caster sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 140g natural yogurt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp milk
• 250g plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 125g pack blueberries (or use frozen)

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases. Beat the butter and caster sugar together until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs and beat in for 1 min, then mix in the yogurt, vanilla extract and milk. Combine the flour, baking powder and bicarb in a bowl with ¼ tsp fine salt, then tip this into the wet ingredients and stir in. Finally, fold in the blueberries and divide the mixture between the muffin cases.
2. Bake for 5 mins, then reduce oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and bake for 15-18 mins more until risen and golden, and a cocktail stick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
3. Cool in the tin for 10 mins, then carefully lift out onto a wire rack to finish cooling. Will keep for 3-4 days in an airtight container – after a day or two, pop them in the microwave for 10-15 secs on high to freshen up.

5. Tortillas

Ingredients

• 250g plain flour, plus a little more for dusting
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• ½ tsp fine salt

Instructions

1. Combine the flour, vegetable oil and salt in a bowl. Pour over 150ml warm water and knead to bring the mixture together. Remove from the bowl and knead on a lightly floured work surface for around 5 mins until you make a soft, smooth ball of dough. Cover with a clean tea towel and rest for at least 15 mins before rolling out.
2. Cut the dough into 6 equal pieces (about 75g each). Roll out each ball of dough as thinly as possible on a floured work surface. They should make rounds about 20 cm wide, 2mm thick.
3. Heat a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Cook the tortillas for 1-2 mins on each side until golden brown and toasted. Wrap them in foil and cover in a tea towel to keep warm, while you cook the rest. Keeps for two days well wrapped, or cool, wrap and freeze for up to three months.

6. Fruity sponge cake

Ingredients

• butter or oil, for greasing
• 50g plain flour
• 3 tbsp cornflour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 4 eggs , separated
• 175g caster sugar
• For the filling
• 295g can mandarin segment , drained
• 200g tub low-fat fromage frais
• icing sugar, for dusting

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 180C. Grease then line the base and sides of 2 x 20cm sandwich tins with greaseproof paper. Sieve the flours and baking powder together.
2. Use electric hand beaters to whisk the egg whites until stiff, then briefly whisk in the sugar. Beat the egg yolks quickly, then whisk into the whites. Fold in the dry ingredients using a large metal spoon, then spoon the mixture into the tins and level the tops. Bake for 18-20 mins until risen, light golden and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool in the tins for 10 mins, then gently remove and leave to cool completely.
3. Mix the mandarins and fromage frais together. Peel away the greaseproof paper, sandwich the cakes with the mandarin mix, then dust with the icing sugar to serve. Best eaten on the day it’s made.

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