Want to make bakery treats the easy way but don't have all the equipment? Building up a full set of basic baking tools is not easy, since everything costs money. So today we are sharing bakery recipes that don't need an oven.
The methods are very simple, and the ingredients are easy to find and needed only in small amounts. You will get several recipes to enjoy making, or to surprise someone special, whether a partner or family, for a birthday, New Year or Christmas. Let's dive into these no-oven bakery recipes.
1. Taiwanese Nougat Crackers
This French-style nougat candy is a big hit in Taiwan and needs no oven. It combines chewy nougat with crackers and dried fruit, for a texture that is soft, crunchy and chewy all at once, with a lovely milky aroma from the milk powder. A perfectly balanced treat. Here are the main ingredients.
Ingredients
- 50 g unsalted butter
- 155 g marshmallows
- 55 g milk powder
- 150 g mixed nuts and dried fruit (raisins, almonds, dried mango)
Method
Melt the butter in a pan or pot over low heat. When it has fully melted, add the marshmallows and stir until they melt into the butter. Once combined, add the milk powder and stir well. Break the crackers into rough pieces, then add them together with all the nuts and dried fruit, and stir again until everything is combined into one sticky, chewy mass. Transfer the nougat into a square mould or tray and press it down firmly with the base of a glass so it does not crumble. Leave it to cool, then cut it into bite-sized pieces. Finally, dust with milk powder so the pieces don't stick together, and it is ready to eat.
2. Milo Lava Cake
This simple Milo lava cake needs no oven, just a steamer and a gas stove. The cake is dense and slightly chewy, and the highlight you cannot miss is the molten Milo lava oozing from the centre; just thinking about it makes your mouth water. Let's see how it is made.
Ingredients
- 3 heaped shots of Milo powder
- 1 egg
- 2 shots of plain milk
- 1 shot of vegetable oil
- 4 shots of all-purpose flour
- 1 shot of sugar (if your Milo sachets already contain sugar, you can leave it out; if you like it sweeter, add another half shot)
Method
Put the Milo powder, egg, milk, vegetable oil and sugar in a bowl and gently stir with a hand whisk until combined. Then add the all-purpose flour and stir gently until smooth; this is your Milo cake batter. Grease foil cups well with oil so the cake does not stick, and pour in the batter. Bring the water in the steamer to the boil, then steam the cakes over medium heat for about 10 to 15 minutes. Keep an eye on them, as the timing depends on the size of your cups. When ready, the top will be cooked and dry, while the centre feels wobbly when pressed, with liquid lava inside. Remove the cakes, gently loosen the edges with a spoon, and turn them out onto a plate. Finish by sifting Milo powder over the top, and they are ready to eat.
3. Strawberry Cheese Pie
Another very easy bakery recipe that needs no oven, perfect for cheese pie lovers, with a sweet, tangy, creamy cheese flavour.
Ingredients
- 100 g butter crackers
- 50 g melted butter
- 1½ shots of cornflour
- 1/3 cup whipping cream
- 2 shots of sweetened condensed milk
- 135 g plain natural yoghurt
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp lime juice
- 10 g salted butter
Method
First, crush the crackers finely, mix them with the melted butter and blend until combined. Press the buttery crumbs into a mould as thick as you like, pack them down firmly and place in the freezer. Next, make the cream cheese filling: stir the cornflour and whipping cream together, then add the condensed milk, yoghurt and vanilla and mix well. Bring a pot of water to the boil and set the bowl over the hot water, stirring constantly until the cream starts to thicken. Add the salted butter, and when it is well combined, add the lime juice and stir again. Pour the filling into the cracker base, smooth the top neatly and place in the freezer to set. Then top with strawberry or blueberry jam and serve.
