Orange, oat and sultana cookies December 4, 2011

These are lovely and easy to make – you can change the size of them depending on how big you want them, and if you want to make them less healthy you can add chocolate chips or whatever you fancy! I made about 16 cookies with this recipe. My Mum says these are one of her favourite biscuits I have ever made!

Ingredients:

• 100g butter at room temperature
• 1 egg
• 50g mashed ripe banana
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 100g light soft brown sugar
• ½ tsp grated orange zest (and a generous squeeze of orange juice, if using)
• 100g wholemeal flour
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 100g rolled oats
• 25g desiccated coconut (I left this out)
• 50g chopped walnuts
• 75g sultanas or dark chocolate chips (I used sultanas)

Method:

1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Cream the butter and sugar together until well blended and smooth. Gradually beat in the banana, vanilla extract and egg. Add the zest. Mix well with a wooden spoon until thoroughly blended.
2. In a large bowl, mix the flour, salt, baking powder, oats, coconut, walnuts and sultanas or chocolate chips. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet and mix thoroughly until a thick dough is formed. I then added a generous squeeze of orange juice (from the orange). Line a baking sheet with parchment. Drop heaped tbsps onto the sheet, leaving a 5cm (2in) space around each one, and press down lightly. Bake for 15-20 mins until lightly browned. Leave to cool. Dust with icing sugar if you wish!

Bundle of cookies

Close-up of cookies with icing sugar

Credit to BBC Good Food and me!

Salted Caramel and Chocolate Tart November 20, 2011

This required a little more effort (and time! Include chilling, about 3 and 1/2 hours) than usual – I’m getting braver! It makes twelve slices and is good served with Greek yoghurt or ice-cream to offset the sweetness.

Ingredients:

• 375g pack sweet pastry
• 150g butter
• 150g golden caster sugar
• 2 tbsp agave syrup – I couldn’t find this so just used regular golden syrup
• 1 x 397g tin condensed milk
• sea salt flakes
• 150g dark chocolate, broken into pieces
• 50g milk chocolate, broken into pieces

Method for the tart:

1. 1. Roll out the pastry and line a 20-22cm fluted tart tin. Trim the pastry edges and discard the trimmings (or you can save it for further decoration). Prick the base lightly all over with a fork and chill for at least 30 minutes. I found this job really tricky – I required a lot of flour, and it is best to do it somewhere cool.
2. Heat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Put the pastry case onto a baking sheet, line with parchment and baking beans or dried rice (I used rice) and bake blind for 20 minutes. Remove the paper and beans and continue to cook for 10-15 minutes or until the pastry is light golden. Cool.
3. When the pastry case is cold, make the caramel. Gently heat the butter, sugar, syrup and condensed milk in a medium saucepan until the butter has melted. Increase the heat and stir continously until the mixture comes to the boil.
4. Reduce the heat slightly and allow the mixture to bubble for 8-10 minutes. Stir all the time until the bubbles become larger and less frequent, the mixture gets thicker and it turns a caramel colour (you can test when it is ready by dropping a small amount onto a chilled saucer. If you draw your finger through it and the mark holds its shape, it’s ready). Stir in the salt. Cool a little then pour the caramel into the pastry case. Leave to set at room temperature for 1 hour.
5. Melt the dark and milk chocolate in seperate heatproof bowls over a pan of simmering water, or use a microwave. I used a microwave – just keep a close eye on it.
6. Flood the top of the caramel tart with the dark chocolate, spreading it out to the edges. Put small spoonfuls of the milk chocolate mix on top, spacing them apart. Using the end of the teaspoon, swirl the milk chocolate into the dark chocolate to give it a marbled effect.
7. Chill for 30 minutes to set, but don’t leave it too long as it will become hard to slice. Decorate with the pastry stars if using.

Method for the pastry stars (if using):

1. You could cut snowflakes out of the pastry trimmings using a snowflake cookie cutter.
2. Bake for ten minutes in the oven (at the same time as the pastry case) until golden, then use to decorate the tart after the chocolate marbling.

Salted Caramel and Chocolate Tart

Salted Caramel and Chocolate Tart with pastry stars!

Credit to Olive Magazine.

Chocolate Brownies: Ultimate Makeover! November 6, 2011

All the lovely brownie yumminess, but with no butter! Secret ingredient? Mayonnaise!

Ingredients: 

For the brownies:

• 85g dark chocolate , 70% cocoa solids, chopped into small pieces
• 85g plain flour
• 25g cocoa powder
• ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 100g golden caster sugar
• 50g light muscovado sugar
• ½ tsp coffee granules
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 egg
• 100g mayonnaise (I used Hellman’s)

       For topping:

• Some milk, white and dark chocolate
• Icing sugar

        Method:

1. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Pour enough water into a small pan to one-third fill it. Bring to the boil, then remove the pan from the heat. Put the chopped chocolate into a large bowl that will fit snugly over the pan without touching the water. Sit the pan over the water (still off the heat) and leave the chocolate to melt slowly for a few mins, stirring occasionally until it has melted evenly. Remove the bowl from the pan, then let the chocolate cool slightly.
2. Meanwhile, lightly oil and base-line a 19cm square cake tin that is 5cm deep. Combine the flour, cocoa and bicarbonate of soda. Using a wooden spoon, stir both the sugars into the cooled chocolate with the coffee, vanilla and buttermilk. Stir in 1 tbsp warm water. Break and beat in the egg, then stir in the mayonnaise just until smooth and glossy. Sift over the flour and cocoa mix, then gently fold in with a spatula without overmixing.
3. Pour the mixture into the tin, then gently and evenly spread it into the corners. Bake for 30 mins. When a skewer is inserted into the middle, it should come out with just a few moist crumbs sticking to it. If cooked too long, the mix will dry out; not long enough and it can sink. Leave in the tin until completely cold, then loosen the sides with a round-bladed knife. Turn out onto a board, peel off the lining paper and cut into 10/12 squares. I then chopped up some milk, dark and white chocolate chunks to decorate the top, along with a dusting of icing sugar!

Brownies with chocolate chunks

More brownies with chocolate chunks!

Brownies with icing sugar!

Credit to BBC Good Food and me!

Lemon Cupcakes (and recipe for home-made Lemon Curd) May 29, 2011

This should make about 12 cupcakes. I decorated mine with lemon flavoured icing, homemade lemon curd and some with just a sprinkling of icing sugar!

Ingredients:

• 2 large eggs, cracked open
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
(I didn’t have any of this!)
• 125g/4oz caster sugar
• 125g/4oz soft margarine
or unsalted butter
• 125g/4oz self-raising flour

For lemon flavoured icing:

• 100g icing sugar
• Juice of a lemon (or 1 tbsp of water for plain icing)
• Zest to top

For lemon curd topping:

• zest and juice of 4 unwaxed lemons
• 200g sugar
• 100g butter
• 3 eggs and 1 egg yolk

Method (to make cupcakes):

1. Heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Put all the ingredients in a bowl and beat them together until the mixture is smooth and slightly lighter in colour.

2. Line a bun tin or cupcake tin with paper cake cases and half-fill each case with the cake mixture.

3. Cook the cakes for 18-20 minutes. You can tell they are done when they have risen up, are golden in colour, and spring back into shape when lightly pressed.

4. Finally, decorate as you wish and eat!

Method (to make lemon curd):

1.Put the lemon zest and juice, the sugar and the butter, cut into cubes, into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, making sure that the bottom of the basin doesn’t touch the water. Stir with a whisk from time to time until the butter has melted.

2. Mix the eggs and egg yolk lightly with a fork, then stir into the lemon mixture. Let the curd cook, stirring regularly, for about 10 minutes, until it is thick and custard-like. It should feel heavy on the whisk.

3. Remove from the heat and stir occasionally as it cools. Pour into spotlessly clean jars and seal. It will keep for a couple of weeks in the refrigerator.

Lemon Cupcake with Lemon Curd!

Lemon Cupcake with Lemon Flavoured Icing!

Lemon Cupcake dusted with Icing Sugar and Zest.

Enough for everyone!

Credit to Annabel Karmel and Nigel Slater.

Victoria Sponge April 30, 2011

Not going to lie, this took me two hours to make! It was hard work, but totally worth it You will need two tins measuring 2 x 20cm, or a thicker one, to make one big sponge which you can then slice in half.

Ingredients:

For the sponge:

• 225g (8oz) butter, softened
• 225g (8oz) caster sugar
• 4 large free-range eggs
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 225g (8oz) self-raising flour

For the filling:

• 150ml double cream
• Raspberry jam (i used Bonne Maman)
• Raspberries

   Method:

1. Heat the oven to 180 C, 160 C fan, 350 F, gas 4.
2. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in the eggs, stir through the vanilla extract, then fold in the flour with 1tsp salt until you have a smooth batter.
4. Divide between the tins (2 x 20cm) and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
5. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack.
6. For the filling, whip the double lightly until it forms soft peaks. Spread raspberry jam onto the bottom cake, and then spread your cream on top. Then top with raspberries and place and the other sponge cake on top and press down lightly. For my cake, I made a heart stencil out of paper and dusted icing sugar thickly through the stencil to make the heart shape, then topped with raspberries leaving an outline of the icing sugar round the edges. Then I dusted a light sprinkling of icing sugar over the whole cake. And VOILA!

Victoria Sponge aerial view!

Victoria Sponge side view!

Credit to Woman and Home, Good Housekeeping and ME!

Apple Crumble April 4, 2011

My recipe filled two 175ml Le Cresuet dishes! But I think it could be altered to fit any sized ovenproof dish you have! The original recipe says to use caster sugar but I used caster sugar and soft brown sugar to give it more depth and better colour.

Ingredients:

For the crumble:
• 35g rolled oats
• 35g wholemeal flour
• 20g sugar (10g caster sugar, 10g soft brown sugar)
• 35g COLD margarine or butter

For the filling:
• 400g cooking apples, peeled, cored and quartered
• 50g sugar, to sweeten (25g caster sugar, 25g soft brown sugar)
• 1 tablespoon water

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas 5. Peel and core the apples, quarter and cut in to chunks.

2. Put the apples in to a pan with the sugar and water. Cook over a low heat for 5 minutes and place in a small oven proof dish.

3. Place the flour and oats in a bowl and mix well. Cut the margarine or butter in to small cubes and add this to the oats and flour. (The butter MUST be cold to ensure the mixture turns into crumbs). Mix with your fingertips until it resembles an even crumb texture. Add the sugar and mix through.

4. Cover the fruit with the crumble mixture. Bake for approximately 20 minutes until the crumble is golden and the apple hot. Serve with custard or double cream and top with cinnamon if you want!

Apple Crumble!

Another pic of Apple Crumble!

Credit to Jamie Oliver.

Scottish Butter Shortbread January 1, 2011

This makes a round of shortbread in a 7 inch cake tin…although I used a bigger tin and got thinner bits of shortbread – works either way i think!

Ingredients:

• 175g butter. It must be room temperature
• 75g golden caster sugar, plus extra for decorating
• 175g plain flour, sifted

Method:

1. First of all, beat the butter in a bowl with a wooden spoon to soften it, then beat in the sugar, followed by the sifted flour. Work the ingredients together with the spoon, pressing them to the side of the bowl, then finish off with your hands until you have a smooth mixture that doesn’t leave any bits in the bowl.

2. Next transfer the dough to a flat, lightly floured surface, and roll it out lightly to a round (giving it quarter turns as you roll) about the same diameter as the tin, then transfer the round to the tin. Now lightly press the mixture evenly into the tin right up to the fluted edges (to make sure that it is even you can give it a final roll with a small glass tumbler). Finally, you must prick the shortbread all over with a fork – or it will rise up in the centre while it’s baking.

3. Bake the shortbread for 60-70 minutes on the centre shelf of the oven (mine took way longer than this…think it depends on your oven!) – it should have turned pale gold and feel firm in the centre. Then remove it from the oven and, using a knife, mark out the surface into 12 wedges. Leave it to cool in the tin, then, when it’s cold, cut it into wedges. Dredge with the golden caster sugar and store in an airtight polythene box or tin.

Shortbread Slices

Close up of the Shortbread!

Credit to the genius that is Delia Smith!

Chocolate Whoopies January 1, 2011

This makes 36 little ones, or 12 medium ones, or 6 HUGE ones. I made 6 huge ones They are not meant to be so flat…like mine are, but mine are just more unique! Haha.

Ingredients:

• 125g butter
• 150g chocolate, plus extra for melting
• 225g sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 250g flour
• 30g cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• marshmallows

To decorate:

• Cocoa Powder
• Icing Sugar
• Smarties

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350G/Gas 3. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
2. Melt the butter and chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. (Do not let the base of the bowl touch the water.)
3. Whisk the sugar, eggs and vanilla together in a separate bowl then fold in the chocolate mixture.
4. Sift the flour, cocoa and baking powder together, then fold into the chocolate and egg mixture.
5. Place tablespoonfuls of the mixture onto the baking tray (the mixture should make 36 biscuits) and bake in the oven for 6-8 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven and set aside half of the biscuits on a cooling rack. Turn the remaining biscuits over and place a marshmallow on top of each. Return to the oven for 2-3 minutes, or until the marshmallows have softened.
7. Remove from the oven and set aside on a cooling rack to cool slightly. Press the cooled biscuits on top. Top with icing sugar, cocoa powder and smarties if you wish!
8. Optional: Melt 100g/3½oz extra chocolate and pour this over the cookies, then set aside to cool. OR use melted chocolate as a filling between the two biscuits.

Whoopie Pies!!

Filled with marshmallow

Filled with chocolate and topped with icing sugar!

Credit to Simon Rimmer and BBC Good Food.

Classic Chocolate Chip Muffins December 26, 2010

This is a recipe for your good old Classic Chocolate Chip Muffin. This makes about 12 BIG muffins. Yum!

Ingredients:

• 250g plain flour
• 125g caster sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 150ml semi-skimmed milk
• 3 tbsps vegetable oil
• 1 medium egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 100g milk chocolate chips
• 100g dark chocolate chips
• Some Cadburys buttons to pop on top!

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees celcius, 180 degrees in fan oven, Gas Mark 5. Prepare your muffin tin by lining with muffin cases.

2. Sift together into a bowl: flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and set aside.

3. In another bowl, combine all your wet ingredients: oil, egg, milk, vanilla extract and mix well.

4. Straightaway sift all your dry ingredients again into the bowl with the wet ingredients. When sifted add the chocolate chips (save half the dark ones for the topping later) and fold together the mixture about 15 times. No more than that!

5. Spoon the mixture into your lined muffin case so they are about 3/4′s full. Top with the dark chocolate chips you set aside, and the milk chocolate buttons (for extra chocolatey-ness!) and place in the oven on the middle shelf. Bake for about 25-30 minutes, until the tops are firm to touch.

6. Once cooked, let the muffins sit in the tin for about 1-2 minutes after you have taken them out of the oven, place on a cooling rack for about 10 minutes and then serve still warm!

Plate of Giant Muffins

Two plates of Giant Muffins!

Credit to me!…This is a mish-mash of several recipes!

Double ginger gingerbread men December 26, 2010

This is an easy peasy lemon squeasy recipe for gingerbread And you can have loads of fun decorating them afterwards!

Makes about 12 (though I only made about 8 large ones)

Ingredients:

• 140g unsalted butter
• 100g dark muscovado sugar
• 3 tbsp golden syrup
• 350g plain flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 tsp ground ginger and 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• pinch of cayenne pepper (optional – I didn’t do this)
• and TO DECORATE: tubes of icing, Smarties, Chocolate buttons, and anything else you wish to put on your Gingerbread People!

Method:

1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line 2 baking sheets with baking parchment, or butter them. Melt butter, sugar and syrup in a pan. Mix flour, soda, spices and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Stir in the butter mix and chopped ginger to make a stiff-ish dough.
2. Wait until cool enough to handle, then roll out dough to about 5mm thick. Stamp out gingerbread men, re-rolling and pressing the trimmings back together and rolling again. Lift onto baking sheets. Bake for 12 mins until golden. Cool 10 mins on the sheets, then lift onto cooling racks.
3. To decorate, use tubes of icing, and Smarties, Chocolate buttons, and any other type of sweet or dried fruit to make eyes, noses and smiley faces!

Gingerbread people

Special Twitter Gingerbread Man

Two plates of Gingerbread people!

Two plates of Gingerbread People and a Christmas Tree!

Credit to Good Food.