Easter Milkshakes

So did not update last week and thought I would give you two Easter treats. I love a milkshake sweet and delectable. You can put anything. There are two (yes, two recipes) that are Easter themed. Super yummy.

Serves 2

Creme Egg Milkshake

3 Creme Eggs, chopped
4 Scoops of Vanilla Ice Cream
500ml Whole Milk

Topping
Whipped Cream
Chocolate Sauce
1 Creme Egg cut in quarter (optional)

1. In a blender, blend the creme eggs, ice cream and whole milk. Should be combined.

2. Around a glass squirt chocolate around the rim of the glass so it drips round the glass. Pour in the milkshake, then squirt the whipped cream, top with 2 quarters of creme egg and squirt a bit of chocolate sauce.

Malteaster Bunny Milkshake

3 Malteaser Bunnies, chopped
4 Scoops of Vanilla Ice Cream
500ml Whole Milk

Topping
Whipped Cream
Chocolate Sauce
2 Mini Malteser Bunnies (optional)

1. In a blender, blend the malteaser bunnies, ice cream and whole milk. Should be combined.

2. Around a glass squirt chocolate around the rim of the glass so it drips round the glass. Pour in the milkshake, then squirt the whipped cream, top with a mini malteaser bunny and squirt a bit of chocolate sauce.

Salted Caramel Brownies

A fusions of sugar and salt. Easy to assemble, cut into squares for everyone to enjoy. Seriously give it a go.

Makes 25 Bite size squares

397g Carnation Caramel
200g Butter
200g Dark Chocolate
150g Golden Caster Sugar
3 Large Eggs
50g Cocoa Powder
125g Plain Flour
2 tsp Sea Salt




1. Grease a 20cm Square Cake tin. Preheat the oven to 180c/160c fan assisted.

2. In a bowl mix 225g of the caramel with 1 tsp Sea Salt. Set a side.

3. In a pan melt the butter over a low heat. Then add the dark chocolate. Stir while melting until all completely melted and combined. Leave to cool on side.

4. In a mixing bowl, add the rest of the caramel, golden sugar and eggs. Whisk until combined. Then add the cooled melted chocolate and whisk further. Add the plain flour and cocoa powder. Give another mix. It should thicken.

5. Layer with half the brownie mixture. Then two thirds the salted caramel in tsp drops and spread evenly without disturbing the brownie mixture. Then tip the other half of the brownie mixture on top. Then spoon on the rest of the salted caramel on top. With a toothpick make a pattern on top, going from top to bottom.

6. Put in the oven for 35 minutes. Leave to cool and cut into squares.

Mini Egg Tiffin

So I have tried some Tiffin and thought, I need to get in on this game. So I was browsing the aisle and thought why not Mini Eggs (or Sugar shelled chocolate eggs, just in case legal gets involved). But here is my recipe and you can make it whenever you like because they put out the Easter stuff just after Christmas so there are plenty of Mini Eggs to go around. Doesn't require the oven.

Makes 12 Pieces of Tiffin

100g Unsalted Butter
3 tbsp Golden Syrup
175g Milk Chocolate
180g Mini Eggs, smashed up into pieces
200g Chocolate Digestives, lightly crushed

Topping
200g Milk Chocolate
90g Mini Eggs, lightly smashed (so a few pieces have some big chunks)

1. Grease a 20cm Square cake tin.

2. Melt butter, golden syrup and chocolate over a low heat. Mix until combined and all melted. Then add the biscuits and smashed mini eggs to the mixture, give a good stir and remove off the heat. Tip in the tin and press down. Leave ti chill for about half an hour.

3. Just before the biscuit base has cooled, melt the milk chocolate  over a bain marie. Once melted tip over the biscuit base and spread over evenly. Then sprinkle over with the mini eggs evenly then leave to cool. Once cooled, cut into squares.

Lumberjack's Yule Log

I made a Yule Log for Christmas. Easier than I thought. Plus if you can't find any last minute, give this a go.

Makes 1 Festive Yule Log

Log Recipe

6 Egg Whites
55 Caster Sugar

6 Egg Yolks
100g Caster Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
50g Cocoa Powder, shifted

Icing/Filling

200g Good Quality Dark Chocolate, in pieces
275g Icing Sugar, plus extra for dusting (optional)
250g Butter, cubed at room temperature, cubed


1. Preheat the oven to 180c/160c fan assisted. Grease a Swiss roll tray or baking tray with greaseproof paper.

2. In a large bowl whisk the egg whites until begin to turn white and begin to stiffen. Then gradually add the 55g caster sugar and continue to whisk. It should be a thick white consistency which leaves peaks.

3. In a second bowl, whisk the 6 egg yolks and 100g caster sugar. Should give you a pale colour and be of a thick consistency. Add the cocoa powder and vanilla bean paste. Should be a really thick consistency.

4. Incorporate the cocoa egg yolk to the the egg whites and fold in until you have used up the egg yolk cocoa. Until you get a smooth brown mixture. Pour onto tray and spread evenly. Put in the oven for 20 minutes.

5. To make the filling/icing. Melt the chocolate in a Bain Marie or microwave until completely melted. Allow to cool slightly. Mix the icing sugar in food processor and then add the butter until combined. Then add the cooled dark chocolate and mix.

6. After the sponge has baked, leave to cool slightly then flip onto another sheet of greaseproof paper. Trim the edges. Then spread about a third of the icing on the cake. Lengthways, roll the cake towards you. Use the greaseproof to help roll. Make sure its tightly rolled otherwise it flop out. Transfer to a plate, board etc to ice.

7. You can cut the ends of the cake in an angle and add these pieces to the side of the log to make it look more of authentic log. Cover with leftover chocolate icing. Spread using a spatula or palette knife. Allow to cool. Then sprinkle with icing sugar to give it a snow effect.

Chocolate and Hazelnut Cheesecake

Its nearing Christmas...I hear you. Not everyone loves a Christmas Cake, Pudding or Mince Pie. Some people call you nuts. And that's what I thought... Hazelnuts. So here is an alternative pudding for Christmas or to enjoy the year round. Plus doesn't require any baking so can get the kids to help. 

Makes 1 Cheesecake

275g Chocolate Digestives

75g Butter, room temperature

400g Chocolate and Hazelnut Spread ( You know the one i mean or the shop brand)

100g Hazelnuts, chopped

500g Cream Cheese

75g Icing Sugar

Drop of Vanilla Essence

1. Grease  the base of a 20cm Cake tin with greaseproof paper. Blitz the Biscuits, 25g of the Hazelnuts and Butter together.Once blitz together pour into tin and press down firmly. Then put in the fridge.

2. While in the fridge make the topping. Mix a bowl/mixer mix the cream cheese, icing sugar and vanilla together. Once combined add the chocolate spread. Mix together til fully combined. Should have a light brown colour. Top the biscuit base and spread so it is even. Then sprinkle with the remaining hazelnuts. Put in the fridge til the cream cheese has firmed (4 hours or overnight). Take out of tin and serve. 

Sinful Devil's Food Cake

Time for a more adult Halloween Treat. This cake is luxurious and chocolatey you should be so naughty and have another slice. I won't tell!

Makes 1 Cake

Cake

Before Frosting

60g Cocoa Powder
100g Dark Brown Sugar
250ml Boiling Water
150g Butter
150g Caster Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 Eggs
250g Plain Flour
½ tsp Baking Powder

½ tsp Bicarbonate of Soda 

Filling
150g White Chocolate
150ml Double Cream

Frosting
200g Dark Chocolate
25g Dark Brown Sugar
150g Butter
Dash of Water

Extra Chocolate to Decorate (Optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 180c/160c fan assisted. Line 2 20cm cake tins with greaseproof paper.

After Frosting

2. In a bowl whisk the cocoa powder, dark brown sugar and the boiling water. Whisk until combined. Leave and continue the rest of the cake in another bowl.

3. Cream the butter and caster sugar together. Then add the vanilla and eggs to the mixture and mix again. Then shift the plain flour, baking powder and bicarbonate into the mixture.

4. The cocoa mixture would have cooled, add this to the cake mixture. Divide between the cake tins. Put in the oven for 25 minutes. Check the cake has baked all the way through.

5. While the cake is in the oven make the filling and frosting:

Filling
For the filling melt the white chocolate on a bain marie, allow the melted white chocolate to cool slightly. Whisk the double cream. Fold the white chocolate into the cream. And leave to cool.

Frosting
Melt the Dark Chocolate and butter in the pan. Add the Sugar and stir. Then take off the heat and add a dash of water. Leave to cool til the frosting thickens up.

6. Assemble the cake by sandwiching the white chocolate cream. Then cover with the frosting. Decorate with optional chocolate (example below). Enjoythis sinful delight.

Webcakes

Eeeeek a spider! Na its just some chocolate fairy cakes. Make your Halloween a bit special this year with these scary treats

Makes 24

150g Butter, cubed

225g Caster Sugar

3 Eggs

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

200g Plain Flour

60g Cocoa Powder

175 ml Whole Milk

2 tsp Baking Powder

50g Dark Chocolate

Baking Cases

Topping

225g Dark/White Chocolate

White/Black Icing

1. Preheat the oven to 180c/160c fan assisted. Cream the butter and egg together. Then add the eggs and give a stir till combined. 

2. Then add the flour, vanilla extract, cocoa powder and baking powder. It should begin to stiffen up. Gradually add the milk while mixing. It should loosen the mixture. Once all the milk has combined, melt the dark chocolate and allow to cool. Add this to the cake mixture and give a final mix. Should look like chocolate mousse. 

3. Divide the mixture between the baking cases and put on a muffin pan/tray. Put in the oven for 20 minutes. Allow to cool and put on a wire rack. 

4. To make the topping melt your preferred chocolate in a ban marie. Dip each cupcake into the chocolate and put to the side. Draw 3 circles increasing in size from the centre outward. Then using a toothpick make 6/7 strokes from the centre outward to make the cakes look like they have webs. To make a spider make 2 circles with icing and add 8 legs.

Happy Halloween!




Add these cases for a Halloween feel

Millionaire Shortbread (V)

So caramel week last week and only managed to get this recipe up because I have been busy but you will be getting 3 recipes in a week, you lucky, lucky people. 

I have loved Millionaire Shortbread and would sometimes get those tubs with 20 bites of them. Thought during caramel week, why not give it a go.

Makes:24-28 Bites

Shortbread

225g Plain Flour

125g Butter

75g Caster Sugar

Caramel

150g Butter, cubed

100g Golden Syrup

1 Can of 379g condensed milk

Chocolate

200g Dark Chocolate

100g Milk Chocolate

50g White Chocolate

1. The Shortbread - Preheat the oven to 150c/140c fan assisted. Cover a 20cm square cake tin with greaseproof paper. Mix the plain flour and butter together. Either use a food processor or by hand. Should look like crumbs. Then add the sugar. Combine. Place in the cake tin and press down. I used my second cake tin's removable bottom to press down so it was more compact. Bake the shortbread for 30 minutes or until light golden brown colour. Leave to cool in the cake tin. 

2. The Caramel - Melt the butter in the pan and mix in the golden syrup and heat through on a medium heat. Then add the condensed and stir (don't stop stirring throughout). When combined. Increase the heat and bring to the boil. It should thicken up. Leave to boil for about 5 minutes. To see if it will set, get a bowl of cold water and take a bit of mixture in the pan and drop in bowl. If it hardens up then its finished. Take off heat and allow to cool slightly then pour on top of the shortbread. Leave to cool. 

3. The Chocolate - Set up two Bain Maries (This is a pan of boiling water with a bowl on top). Place the milk and dark chocolate in one bowl. Then in another bowl melt the white chocolate. Melt both chocolates until they are runny. Take off heat and pour the dark/milk chocolate mixture first. Make sure the caramel has solidified first. Then add drops of the white chocolate. Take a toothpick and swirl the white chocolate back and forth across the pan. To make a swirl effect. Leave to cool completely.








4. The Finale - Push the Millionaire Shortbread out using the removable bottom. Them remove the greaseproof paper. You should get defined layers and begin to cut into pieces. Use a sharp knife to minimise breakage. Enjoy!

Triple Chocolate Cookies (V)

Go Big or Go Home should be applied to these delights. Three type of chocolate in one cookie, so bad, its good.

Makes 22-24

175g Unsalted Butter, cubed at room temperature
175g Light Brown Caster Sugar
150g Dark Chocolate, in cubes/chunks
200g Milk Chocolate, roughly chopped
200g White Chocolate, roughly chopped
25g Cocoa Powder
1 Egg
200g Plain Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Vanilla Extract/Essence/Vanilla Bean Paste (I used paste)

1. Preheat oven to 180c/160c fan assisted. Combine sugar and the butter in a mixer or in a mixing bowl. Add the egg and mix.

2. Melt the dark chocolate in a Bain Marie or microwave. Once melted allow to cool slightly then add to the mixture and mix. Then add the cocoa powder, plain flour, baking powder and vanilla.

3. It should stiffen up slightly once you start to combine the flour. Once the mixture starts to stiffen add the roughly chopped chocolate to the dough and continue mixing until combined. Then you have the cookie dough (as difficult it was for me, don't eat the cookie dough, it would mean less cookies!)

4. Take an ice cream scoop or tablespoon if you don't have a scoop. Scoop a spoonful of cookie dough and place on the lined baking tray and press down lightly with the spoon. Don't put them too close. On my 14" x 10" tray I put 6 on the tray, you could get away with 8 as they don't spread out.

5. Put them in the oven for 12 minutes. When they are finished baking leave on the tray for 10 minutes to cool then transfer to wire rack. Eat warm or wait till they are cool to store in a tin for later.

With these the white chocolate is melted in the centre and are sooo goey.  Enjoy!

Proof in the pudding is in the eating and they deliver 

I am guilty at Oven Staring

Chocolate Orange Cake Explosion

Made this for my friends as a collective birthday cake. Went down a treat. Plus dark chocolate is good and it has an orange in it which is one of your 5 a day, so must be good for you (not a doctor).

125g Dark Chocolate, broken into pieces
1 ½ tbsp Cocoa Powder, sifted
1 tsp Baking Powder, sifted
250g Plain Flour, shifted
3 Large Eggs
250ml Sunflower Oil
275g Golden Caster Sugar
1 Juice and Zest of a Large Orange

Topping (Ganache)
200g Dark Chocolate
200ml Double Cream
25g Dark Chocolate, grated (optional)
Chocolate Orange Wedges (Popular Branded ones)

1.  Line a 8 inch cake tin with greaseproof paper. Preheat the oven to 180c/160c fan assisted.

2. In a bowl mix, mix the sugar, oil and eggs together. Then add the orange juice and zest to the bowl and give another mix.

3. In either a bain marie or a microwave, melt the dark chocolate. In a ban marie continue to stir so it doesn't burn. If you choose to melt the chocolate in the microwave, heat for a minute, give a stir and heat for a further minute, continue the process until the dark chocolate is melted.

4. Allow the chocolate to cool slightly and add this to the mixture. When combined add the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder. 

5. This should thicken the cake mixture. Pour into the cake tin and put in the oven for 45-55 minutes. Check the centre of the cake with a skewer to see if it's baked all the way through. Put on a rack to cool. 

6. While the cake is cooling make the Chocolate Ganache. To do this heat the cream in the pan. When it starts to boil take off the heat. Put the chocolate in a heat proof dish and pour over the heated cream and begin to stir until fully combined. Leave to cool slightly.

7. Decorate the cake by pouring the ganache over the cake (make sure you have a plate underneath the rack to catch the chocolate). Place chocolate orange wedges on the cake. Grate with chocolate. Place in container (on a cake board or plate). Place in fridge to allow ganache to harden. Serve

Strawberry, White Chocolate & Vanilla Cake

So it was my sister's birthday and she loves strawberries. She wanted a healthy strawberry cake. I delivered on one of these. 


Makes 1 Cake

175g Golden Caster Sugar

175g Butter, cubed at room temperature
3 Eggs
225g Self Raising Flour
1½ tsp Baking Powder
50g White Chocolate
125g Strawberries, pureed

Filling/Topping/Decorations
1 Punnet of Strawberries, topped and cut in half
3/4 tbsp Strawberry Jam
2 Boxes of White Chocolate Fingers
250g Unsalted Butter, at room temperature and cubed
500g Icing Sugar, sifted
1tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
Red Food Colouring

1. Line an 8 inch cake tin with greaseproof paper. Preheat the oven to 180c/160c fan assisted.

2. Cream the butter and sugar together. Then add the eggs gradually. It should resemble scrambled eggs.

3. Then shift self raising flour and baking powder in the bowl and stir. Microwave the white chocolate so it's melted. Leave to cool slightly then add the white chocolate and strawberries.

4. Pour into the greased cake tin and put in the oven for 50-55 minutes. Check with a skewer through the centre to see if it's done (skewer should come out clear if its done). Allow to cool on wire rack.

5. While the cake is cooling make the vanilla buttercream icing. Mix the butter and icing sugar together until smooth and then add the vanilla and give another mix. Add the red food colouring (see below for colour grading).

Colour of Buttercream Icing: If you are looking for a more red colour you will need more food colouring. For a pinker colour use less red food colouring. Add a tsp at a time and mix to see if its the colour you want and add more if needed.

6. Cut the cake in half horizontally, so you have 2 pieces. To assemble the cake take the bottom half and smoother the top of the cake with some of the buttercream. Then add strawberry jam. Then layer with the other piece of cake. Then cover the whole cake with buttercream icing. Use a spatula to get the side and get an even cover.

7. To decorate add the chocolate fingers around the side of the cake. Then dab the cut side of the strawberry with kitchen roll to remove excess juice then place on top of the take. Put in a container. Place in the fridge for when its needed. Keeps the strawberries fresh and sets the icing a bit.

Serve a piece of fabulous cake.

Reviews;

'It's so moist'

'Going in for another piece'

'That's food porn'

Gareth's Cookies

Now what starts with the letter C? Cookie starts with C, Let's think of other things, That starts with C, Oh, who cares about the other things?, C is for cookie, that's good enough for me.

Makes 20 - 24 Cookies

150g Unsalted Butter. cubed at room temperature

150g Golden Caster Sugar

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1 Large Egg

½ tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

225g Plain Flour

225g Milk Chocolate (Dairy Milk, Galaxy, any good quality chocolate), roughly chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 200c/180c Fan assisted. 

2. In a bowl mix the butter and sugar together. Then add the vanilla and egg to the mixture and mix in. Then add the flour and bicarbonate of soda. When it starts to thicken add the chocolate and give one final mix

3. Layer the baking tray with greaseproof paper. Then take a tablespoon of cookie dough and put on the tray. For each tray put no more than 6 on them to prevent sticking (I was using a 24 x 18 cm tray).

4. Put in the oven for 8 - 10 minutes. They should be golden brown. Leave to cool on the tray before transferring to a wire rack. (Do I really need to give serving suggestions... Enjoy!)

Share or be naughty

Garden Birthday Cake

So it was my partners birthday on Friday so I wanted to make a special Birthday cake for him.

Makes 1 Cake


Chocolate Cake
100g Dark Chocolate (Used 70%)
3 Eggs
300g Caster Sugar
250ml Sunflower Oil
25g Cocoa Powder
250g Plain Flour
Splash of Lemon Juice
2 tbsp Nutella

Spinach Cake
3 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 Lemons, juice and zest
3 tsp Baking Powder
180ml Olive Oil
300g Plain Flour
250g Caster Sugar
200g Spinach, pureed

Filling
250g Mascarpone

50ml Double Cream

2 tbsp Icing Sugar

Splash Lemon Juice
Nutella

Decoration
Toothpicks
Food Colouring
250g Ready Roll Icing
Writing Icing
Chocolate Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 180c/160 fan assisted. Line 20cm Square Cake tins.

Making the Chocolate Cake

1. Put a pan over water over a hob and heat til it boils and reduce to a simmer. Put a large bowl on top and add the dark chocolate and allow to melt. Take off pan and leave to cool slightly.

2. When cooled enough add the sugar and give a good mix til the sugar and chocolate are combined. Then add the eggs, then the oil and mixing throughout.

3. Then add the flour, cocoa powder and lemon juice and mix well. When combined add the nutella, mix then pour in the cake tin

Spinach Cake

1. Mix the eggs and sugar til combined and then add the lemon juice and olive oil, give another mix. Add the flour, baking powder, and spinach. Then finally the vanilla. Mix throughout this process. This can be done in a food processor. Pour in the cake tin.

Put both tins in the oven for 45 - 50 minutes. Take out of the oven leave to cool before taking out of cake tins.

Filling

1. For the filling whisk the mascarpone with the double cream, icing sugar and lemon juice. . Then have the chocolate cake on the base, layer with nutella, cream then the spinach cake.

Decorate

To make the dirt effect breakup some chocolate cake. For the sugarcraft make sure you have icing sugar if the icing gets too sticky.

Sunflower
For these you need ready roll icing, yellow, brown and green food colouring and some toothpicks. Colour the icing with each colour. Wrap the green icing round the toothpick. For the flower, make a large yellow circle. Using a spoon press into it lightly around the edge to make a petal looking design. Have a smaller brown icing circle in the centre and poke with a toothpick.



Carrot Tops and Cabbage
You need green food colouring and ready roll icing. Mix the two. For the cabbage; shape into a small ball and cut another piece into three small triangles and place below the balls. For the Carrot tops, make 3 small sausage shapes and wrap round each other. Cover with the cake dirt.





Flower
For the flower that dots the I you need red pink food colouring and ready roll icing. Mix the colouring and icing til combined. With the ball of icing shave bits off with the tip of the spoon. Then layer  and eventually create a circular design. Smooth the bottom. Write the message using writing icing or piped icing and place the flower over the i.

The Dark Chocolate Knight

As described by one person 'crumbly and melts in your mouth' Also ideal snacking when you need to do some brooding in Gotham. 


Makes 24 - 26 Biscuits

150g Butter
100g Caster Sugar
50g Cocoa Powder
1tsp Cinnamon
225g Plain Flour, plus extra for dusting
100g Dark Chocolate, broken up
100g Milk Chocolate Chips
½ tsp Baking Powder

Topping
175g Dark Chocolate

1. Preheat the oven to 180c/160 fan assisted. In a food processor mix the butter and sugar together. Then melt the dark chocolate in a bowl over boiling water on the hob or in the microwave. Once fully melted add to the food processor and mix.

2.  Add the flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon and baking powder and give another mix til everything had combined. Finally mix in the chocolate chips. The mixture should be solid. If runny add more flour and if too dry add some melted butter. Put in cling film and but in fridge for about 10 minutes.

3. Put some greaseproof paper and put on trays. Take the dough and put on floured surface. It will be easy to roll out as the chips will stop you rolling out too thin. Should be the thickness of a pound coin. Once rolled out take either a batman butter or a round cutter and cut into shapes and put on tray.

4. Put in the oven for 15 minutes. Allow to cool. Melt the other dark chocolate. Then dip each biscuit in the chocolate to cover one side of the biscuit. Put on a wire rack for the chocolate to cool.

Chocolate Paradise Brownies (V)

Want to impress a date? Night in alone? Need an accompaniment for your ice cream? Then give this recipe a go. All gooey when warm. But always moist.

Makes a Square Cake Worth (Cut into smaller squares)

Resist the urge to eat the mixture (Difficult, I know)

200g Butter, cubed at room temperature
100g Plain Flour
50g Cocoa Powder
200g Dark Chocolate, broken to small pieces
100g Milk Chocolate, cubed
Pinch of Salt
3 Eggs
250g Golden Caster Sugar

1. Preheat oven to 180/160 fan assisted. Line a square 20cm (8 inch) with greaseproof paper. Heat water in a pan. Place a bowl over the pan, add the butter and dark chocolate. Mix well until combined. Leave to cool.

2. While the mixture cools, in another bowl sift the flour and cocoa powder in a bowl then add the sugar and salt. Mix until combined. Add the eggs and stir.

3. When the chocolate mix has cooled enough, gradually add the melt dark chocolate mix to the flour mix. Stir until all has combined.

4. Either mix in the milk chocolate pieces and pour into the cake tin OR pour the mixture into the cake tin and scatter the milk chocolate. Bake in the oven for 25 - 30 minutes. You should be able to poke the centre of the brownie with a toothpick and it should come out clear. Enjoy by themselves or with ice cream and/or cream.

Nice Warm with Cream

Chocolate Brownie with Raspberry Coulis

I'm back, hope you all had a good Christmas and New Years. Probably the worst post as its probably going against people new years resolutions but I don't do resolutions.  This was a recipe I made for my friends and they all loved it. Serve with good quality vanilla ice cream.

Serves 6

Chocolate Brownie
100g Butter, cubed (easier to melt)
175g Caster Sugar
2 ½ tsp Nutella
100g Dark Chocolate
50g Milk Chocolate
2 tbsp Cocoa Powder
2 Eggs

½ tsp Baking Powder 

100g Plain Flour

Raspberry Coulis
250g Raspberries
2 tbsp Caster Sugar

1. You can do the raspberry coulis in advance. Put the raspberries in a pan over a low heat with the sugar, stir and heat until the raspberries break down. For a smoother taste put in a blender and strain through sieve.

2. Line a 20cm cake tin with greaseproof paper. Preheat the oven to 180c/160 Fan assisted.

3. Heat some water in a pan and put a bowl over the top. Then add the butter, til melted. Add both chocolate until melted. Then combine the nutella. Finally add the sugar. Take off the heat and let it cool for a bit.

4. Add the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder. Then add the eggs and mix well till the mixture is combined.

5. Pour into the cake tin and put in the oven for 25-30 minutes till it's cooked all the way through. Stick a skewer or toothpick through the centre, it should come out clean.

6. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes, Remove from cake tin and cut into 6 slices. Serve with coulis and ice cream.

Movember 4 Course - Dessert - Molten Chocolate Orange Cake

My final course in my 4 course meal for Movember. Everyone loves a dessert and this one is so so yummy from the first spoonful. And its simple to make and will impress any guest (or just make 2 for yourself, that's what I did).

Serves 2

75g Butter, plus extra for greasing
75g Soft Brown Caster Sugar
50g Plain Flour
75g Good Quality Dark Chocolate, plus 2 small bits of dark chocolate
1 Large Egg
Juice and Zest of half an orange

1. Preheat the oven to 200c/180c Fan assisted. Grease 2 ramekins with the butter. Melt the 75g of dark chocolate, either in the microwave or in a bowl over boiling water.

2. Cream the butter and sugar together. Then add the egg until it resembles scrambled eggs. Add half of the melt dark chocolate (shouldn't be too hot otherwise it will cook the eggs). Mix the flour then add the remaining melt chocolate. Then add the juice and zest of the orange. Give it a final stir.

3. Pour into the ramekins then place the chunk of chocolate in the centre of the mixture. Put in the oven for 10-12 minutes. It should have a firm bottom.

4. Take out of the oven and allow to cool for a couple of minutes. With a knife go around the edge of the cake to loosen from the ramekin. Invert onto a plate. Serve with cream or ice cream and eat immediately.

Movember is nearly over so donate here Every little helps the cause :) I will also do a post with all 4 recipes on one post so if you want to make the 4 course meal. All the recipes will be in one place.

I will be altering my page to fit the christmas vibe so watch this space for my mince and mini christmas cake recipes.

Eyeball Truffles (V)

Happy Halloween! Keep your eye out for these.

I have my eye on you

Makes about 20-22 (Depending on the size of the eyes)

200g Plain Sponge (eg Madeira or Victoria Sponge)
150g Oreo Biscuits
150g Dark Chocolate
50g Butter
250g White Chocolate

Decoration
Red Gel Food Colouring
Black Gel Food Colouring
Strawberry Laces
Sugar-coated chocolate confectionery (don't want to say brand, but we all know what I mean)

1. Blitz the sponge and biscuits together, in a food processor,  until they resemble crumbs.

2. Add the melted butter and milk chocolate to the food processor. And blend until the mixture sticks together.

3. Form the mixture into balls and place on a plate and put in the fridge for 1-2 hours.

4. Boil some water in a pan and place a bowl on top with the white chocolate in it. Reduce the heat of the pan and melt slowly so the chocolate doesn't end up grainy.

5. Cover the chocolate balls in the white chocolate and place on a cooling rack so the excess drips off (put a piece of grease proof paper to make it easier to clean up).

6. For the sugar-coated chocolate confectionery put a drop of black gel for the pupils. While the white chocolate is still warm place the sweet on the truffle. Then leave the balls to cool.

7. For the laces, this will be the veins. Take 3 laces and wrap one them around the other two. Snip them so they are approximately 5cms in length. Warm up a teaspoon (I placed it in a mug of warm water and dried it) then melt the side which is opposite the sweet and place the laces on the chocolate and allow it to cool off.

8. Finish off the look by making the eyes blood shot, by using the red gel food colouring. If you run out and want to make the eyes gory, squeeze the tube and the remains will splatter over the eyes giving it a bloody effect.

Positively Pleasing Pershore Plum Festival

Pershore is famous for their plums and from the turn out, everyone knows it. Even though it lasts for a month with various events throughout that time, the one event I want to really talk about is the Pershore Bank Holiday Monday event. A market with various tastes that will tantalise your taste buds.

I do love a good market and may have dipped into my pocket to make a few good investments. Here is a picture of some the delectable goods I got my hands on.

L to R: Cider Punch, Salmon, Leek & Mozerella Tart, Plums, Curry Sauce, Belgium Chocolate Slab, Treacle tart, Mead, Plum Tart and Black Cherry Liqueur.

Generally enjoyed all of these delectable things and needed to stock up on my Mead since I used it up in like a couple of months. So this time, I am gonna make it last longer. But don't worry I am not that much of a drunk *hiccup*. For the plums I have made a couple of recipes, one sweet and one savoury. These will be uploaded in due course.

Mulled Plum Punch

Apart from the food, there was a vast selection of cars and a variety of entertainment such as live cookery from a chief using plum related recipes and for the children teddy bear parachuting. An enjoyable day out for the whole family as well as ample amounts of cider, plum drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) and live music. Add the town crier and the mayor, you have a lovely mix for a grand day out.

Make sure you put this event in your calendar!

Chocolate Teacake (V)

So was watching the Great British Bake Off and thought I could make those but made some changes to the recipe to make it my own. With a biscuit base, marshmallow and jam centre coated in a chocolate sphere. Interesting fact, there was a legal battle over whether the Chocolate teacake is a biscuit or a cake. The European court ruled that the Teacake was not, in fact, a biscuit but a cake.

Makes 6 Teacakes

Biscuit
50g Wholemeal Flour
50g Plain Flour, shifted
30g Caster Sugar
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
25g Butter, left at room temperature
2 tbsp Milk
Pinch of salt

Marshmallow
3 Medium Free Range Egg Whites
150g Caster Sugar
6 tbsp Golden Syrup
1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Chocolate Sphere
400g Milk Chocolate (good quality chocolate is needed).
Half Sphere Silicone Moulds
6 tsp Raspberry Jam

1. Preheat the oven to 170c/150c Fan assisted. Grease a baking tray.

2. For the biscuit, put the flours, caster sugar, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl and rub together with the butter. Add the milk and make into a small ball.

3. Flour a surface and roll out the dough with a rolling pin. The dough shouldn't be too thick, around 1/4 inch thickness. The biscuit should cover the moulds, I used a medium size wine glass to cut the biscuits. Chill in the fridge.

4. While the biscuits are chilling in the fridge, its time to melt the chocolate to make the spheres for the teacakes. Melt 300g of the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Once the chocolate has melted, line the moulds with the chocolate. Use the smooth side of a spoon to help spread the chocolate evenly around the mould. Set a side to let it set.

5. Place the biscuits on the baking tray and put in the oven to bake for 10 minutes. Don't let them burn. Let them cool on a wire rack.

6. For the marshmallow, put all the ingredients in a large bowl over a large pan of simmer water. Whisk for 10 minutes using an electric whisk. It should double in size and should be a thick consistency.

7. Spoon the marshmallow mixture into a piping bag. Pipe the mixture into the now cooled chocolate domes.

8. Melt the remaining chocolate. Coat the biscuits in the chocolate and leave to cool on the wire rack.

9. When the marshmallow has set, put a teaspoon of raspberry jam on top of the marshmallow. Place the biscuit on top of the marshmallow and jam. Then with the remaining chocolate seal any open areas between the biscuit and the chocolate sphere. Leave for a few minutes to let the chocolate cool.

10. Carefully remove the teacakes from the mould. It should be easy to remove from the moulds. Enjoy!

Tip: Having trouble finding the moulds: Click Below