3 Traybake Recipes That Are Easy & Delicious
I learned to bake when I was about eight. My great auntie taught me while my mum and dad were at work. She always made it so much fun! I started sharing recipes online at the beginning of the first lockdown as I wanted to give others (and myself) something to do, and also prove that baking could be easy, not intimidating.
I usually bake four days a week. I’m very lucky that my hobby has become my full-time job. I love seeing my followers try my recipes, whether that’s from my book or social media. I want to make baking as accessible as possible, especially if you don’t have a lot of equipment.
My most watched TikTok is my Kinder cheesecake recipe. It has 116 million views and it’s one of my absolute favourites.
Traybakes are popular because they’re quick and easy. Most people don’t have time to make a three-layer cake. Traybakes are also easier to serve and transport; they’re versatile; and once you have a great base, the flavour options are endless, so you can really let your creativity run wild. I love a good brownie or a blondie, but I love the caramel fudge crunch bars from my new book, too. They’re crispy and chocolatey on the outside with a layer of smooth caramel fudge through the middle. So moreish.
It will come as no surprise to hear I have a sweet tooth. I love using melted milk and white chocolate, Nutella and Biscoff spread in my bakes, but I'm a sucker for sour sweets and sweets in general – Haribo Tangfastics are my favourite.
I couldn’t live without my electric hand mixer, mini food processor or microwave. Anything that makes cooking quick and easy. I could never go back to whisking cream with a balloon whisk or crushing biscuits with a bag and rolling pin now.
For a night in with the girls, I’d make my hazelnut truffle brownies. They’re full of Nutella and Ferrero Rochers; rich and fudgy and delicious. For a date night, it would have to be a showstopper like the Biscoff cheesecake – definitely too much for two, so I’d make them in mini pots.
Ready to get baking? Here are three of Eloise’s new recipes to try at home…
HOLLY PICKERING
Speculoos Cheesecake Bars
This is one of my most popular recipes on social media. It has a buttery Speculoos biscuit base and a creamy Speculoos cheesecake filling, topped with a smooth and glossy topping, and decorated with crushed biscuits. It’s quick and easy, with zero baking involved.
Line a 20cm (8 in) square baking tin with non-stick baking paper.
Put the biscuits into a food processor and process until finely crushed. Alternatively, put them into a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. Tip into a medium mixing bowl, then pour in the melted butter and mix with a spoon until fully combined. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of your prepared tin with the back of a spoon, then pop into the refrigerator while you make the filling.
To make the filling, take a mixing bowl and beat together the cream cheese, icing sugar and Speculoos spread with an electric hand mixer until smooth. Remove the chilled base from the refrigerator, then spoon on the filling, smoothing it out to the edges.
To make the topping pour the melted Speculoos spread over the cheesecake and smooth it out quickly but gently with the back of a metal spoon or spatula. Sprinkle the crushed Speculoos biscuits around the edge of the cheesecake to form a border. Then place the whole biscuit in the middle.
Chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or overnight, until completely set. Cut into 16 squares and enjoy! You can store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
HOLLY PICKERING
Cookies & Cream Stuffed Brownies
This is a rich and fudgy brownie, full of white chocolate chips, and a layer of cookies and cream biscuits through the middle. There’s a cookie per slice and cookie pieces on top, so you’ll always get a bite with different flavours and textures.
Preheat the oven to 190°C/Gas Mark 5 and line a 20cm (8in) square baking tin with non-stick baking paper.
Put the melted butter and both sugars into a large mixing bowl and beat together with an electric hand mixer for about 2-3 minutes until fully combined and no lumps remain. Add the eggs and continue to beat until thick and fluffy (this could take from a few minutes up to 15 minutes, depending on the temperature of the ingredients and your equipment). Mix in the melted chocolate until just combined.
Sift in the flour, cocoa powder and salt, then gently fold in with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until no streaks of flour remain. Fold in the white chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
Transfer half the batter into your prepared tin and smooth it out to the edges. Place the 16 biscuits in lines across the batter. There will be 1 biscuit per square.
Scoop the remaining brownie batter on top of the biscuits, smoothing it out gently. Sprinkle the broken biscuits evenly over the top of the batter.
Bake for 25-30 minutes until the edges are cracked and the middle no longer wobbles. Leave to cool completely in the tin, then chill in the refrigerator overnight for best results. Cut into 16 squares and enjoy!
Store in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
HOLLY PICKERING
Chocolate Chip Cookie Magic Bars
This is one of the easiest recipes to make in the book. There’s barely any mixing involved, you just throw everything in the tin and bake it. These bars have a buttery chocolate chip cookie base, a sweet and gooey middle, are packed with condensed milk and chocolate chips and topped with crunchy chocolate chip cookies.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4 and line a 20cm (8in) square baking tin with non-stick baking paper.
Put the whole cookies into a food processor and process until finely crushed. Alternatively, put them into a plastic bag and crush finely with a rolling pin. Tip into a medium bowl, then pour in the melted butter and mix together with a spoon until fully combined.
Scoop the mixture into your prepared tin and press down firmly with the back of a spoon. Pour over the condensed milk, then sprinkle over the chocolate chips and remaining broken cookies and press down with the back of a fork.
Bake for 30-35 minutes until the edges are crisp. Leave to cool completely in the tin, then cut into 16 squares.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Fitwaffle’s Baked In One by Eloise Head (Ebury Press, £22). Photography by Faith Mason. Visit Amazon.co.uk.
Follow @Fitwaffle on Instagram & @Fitwaffle on TikTok.
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