Choc Chip Peanut Butter Cookie

 

 

 

Ingredients

 

50g Light brown soft sugar

50g Caster sugar

50g Unsalted butter

1 Large egg

1tsp Vanilla

50g Chocolate Chips

200g Crunchy peanut butter

1tsp Bicarbonate of soda

 

Pre heat the oven to 170oC and line a flat tray with grease proof paper.

 

Cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy then add the egg, peanut butter and vanilla mixing until smoothly combined. Stir in the flour and bicarb of soda. Now add the chocolate chips. It is a thick mixture and will require some elbow grease.

 

Get your hands in and roll some mixture into a ball about a tablespoon size then flatten on the baking tray you should get about 12. Leave space between them they will grow slightly. You may need to cook them in batches.  Bake for 10-12 minutes then remove and let cool. Seem soft? don't worry they firm up more as they cool.

Peanut Butter Brownies

 

 

 

Ingredients

225g Crunchy Peanut Butter

200g Dark Chocolate

280g Soft Light Brown Sugar

3 Eggs

100g Self Raising Flour

Heat the oven to 180oC and Grease a square cake tin. take 175g of the peanut butter and 150g of the chocolate and put them in a pan with the sugar, stir occasionally until the sugar has just about melted and everything is evenly mixed.

 

Turn of the heat and then beat in an egg at a time then sift in the flour, mix it all together and then put in the tin. Melt the other 50g of peanut butter until runny then drizzle over the top of the brownie. Bake for 30 minutes.

 

Once cooled melt the remaining 50g of chocolate and drizzle this over the top, allow to set and then cut into squares.

 

Easy Summer Fruits Pavlova

 

 

Ingredients

3 Large Egg Whites

175g Caster Sugar

 

For the Topping

200ml Whipping or Double Cream (whipped)

300g Mixed Summer Fruits. ( I went for Strawberries, Raspberries and a pomegranate)

 

 

This recipe requires a little time it is best to make the pavlova the night before and let it cool in the oven.

 

Heat the oven to 140oC. Lay some grease proof paper on a flat oven tray.

 

Measure out the sugar and in a separate clean bowl begin to whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. When you can turn the bowl upside down and the egg whites don't fall out your done! Do not over whisk or the pavlova will collapse.

 

Now whisk in a table spoon of sugar at a time gently until it is all mixed in.

 

Take a metal spoon and put some of the meringue onto the baking sheet form a circle with it being, then blob the rest around the edges to for a bowl look.

 

Bake for 50 mins -1hour, if it begins to colour to much too soon reduce the heat to 120oC. Leave to cool overnight in the oven.  This should prevent it from cracking.

 

Once cooled. Whip up your cream and prepare your fruit then dollop the cream followed by the fruit on top of your meringue et voila! a completed Pavlova. 

Banana Muffin

Ingredients

 

200g Plain Flour

1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Bicarb of Soda

1/2 tsp Salt

3 Large Bananas

150g Caster Sugar

1 Egg

75g Butter

 

 

Preheat the oven to 180oC.

 

Now sift the flour, baking powder, bicarb of soda and salt together. In a pan melt the butter then add this to the mashed up banana, sugar and egg. Mix until smooth then fold in the flour mixture.

 

Spoon evenly into muffin cases and bake for 25-30 minutes until springy to touch and golden brown.

 

Try serving with some golden syrup warm out of the oven. 

Red Velvet Cupcakes

 

 

Ingredients

60g Butter

150g Caster Sugar

1 Egg

20g Cocoa Powder

2tsp Red Food Colouring

2tsp Vanilla Extract

130ml Buttermilk

150g Plain Flour

1/2 tsp Bicarb of Soda

1 1/2 tsp White Wine Vinegar

 

Icing

300g Icing Sugar

50g Butter

125g Full Fat Cream Cheese

 

 

Pre heat the oven to 170oC. Whisk the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, then whisk in the egg. Add the cocoa, colouring and vanilla and mix well. Sift in the flour a little at a time alternating with the buttermilk until all combined. Now add the bicarb of soda and the vinegar so they start to fizz and mix again. Spoon into cases and bake for 18-20 minutes until springy to touch.

 

Once cooked remove from the oven and allow to cool.

 

Mix the butter, cream cheese and icing sugar together and top the cakes. Feel free to add whatever decorative touches you feel like. 

 

Lemon Meringue Ice Cream

This is a Delia Smith Recipe

 

Ingredients

 

For the Syrup

200ml Fresh Lemon Juice (4-5 Lemons)

Zest of 2 Lemons

2 tsp Cornflour

150g Caster Sugar

 

For the Custard

425ml Whipping Cream

4 Large Egg Yolks

1 tsp Cornflour

175g Caster Sugar

 

200ml Greek Yoghurt

4 Meringue Nests, Broken up

 

Begin by making the syrup.  In a bowl mix the cornflour with 2tbsp of lemon juice. In a pan mix the rest of the lemon juice with the sugar and leave on a low heat for 5 minutes to let the sugar dissolve. Add the lemon zest then simmer for a further 5 minutes. Pour this mixture over the cornflour mixture and stir. Put it back in the pan and on a low heat keep stirring for 2 more minutes until thickened. Once thickened set aside to cool.

 

Next make the custard, this is the base of the ice cream. Place the cream in a saucepan and heat slowly. In a separate bowl whisk the egg yolks, cornflour and sugar together. When the cream reaches simmering point add it  gradualy to the other ingredients and keep whisking.  Put it all back in the pan and bring back to a simmer, keep stirring. Once the custard has thickened put it aside to cool with cling film over the surface. (it will prevent a skin)

 

When the custard has cooled mix it with the Greek yoghurt and place in a 1.5-2 litre freezer box, cover and freeze for 2 hours.

 

After 2 hours remove from the freezer and use an electric whisk to stir up the mixture making sure you get all the edges. Place back in the freezer for another 2 hours.

 

Again remove from the freezer and whisk the mixture, this time add the lemon syrup and mix thoroughly. Once mixed fold in the meringue pieces and then freeze for another 6-8 hours or overnight.  

 



 



Banoffee Pots

 

Ingredients

 

180g Digestive Biscuits

80g Butter

300ml Whipping Cream

2 tbsp Icing Sugar

397g Tin of Caramel

1 1/2 Banana's

A little chocolate to decorate (Optional)

Bash the digestive biscuits into crumbs. In a pan melt the butter then add this to the bashed biscuits, mix it all together then spoon into serving dishes (will make 8 portions). Set aside in the fridge for 30 minutes.

 

Now top the biscuit with caramel then add slices of banana. Whisk the cream and icing sugar together until thick and add on top  of the banana. Sprinkle with grated chocolate to finish (Optional).

 

Enjoy!

Marmalade Cake

Ingredients

 

4tbsp  Orange Juice With Bits

3oZ Marmalade

3 Eggs

6oZ Self Raising Flour

6oZ Demerara Sugar

6oZ Margarine

 

Icing sugar to dust

Pre Heat the oven to 180oC. Grease 2 small tins or 1 large tin.

 

Whisk the sugar and margarine together then whisk in one egg at a time. Add the marmalade and orange juice and give it a good mix. Sift in the flour and combine all together.

 

Pour the mixture into your cake tin and bake for 15-20 minutes (Small tins or 40-50 minutes in large tin).

 

Take the cake out of the oven once cooked and allow to chill. Dust with Icing sugar.

 

Valentines Chocolates

 

 

Ingredients

 

75g Blanched Hazelnuts

100g Dark Chocolate (72% Cocoa)

100ml Condensed Milk

1-2tbsp Hazelnut Oil

250g Milk Chocolate (to decorate)

Red Candy Melts (Optional)

 

I bought some heart shaped chocolate moulds from cakes, cookies and crafts shop . For the large moulds melt 1/3 of the milk chocolate and line the mould using a thin layer of chocolate. Let this set then added another layer.

 

When the second layer has set put the hazelnuts into a food processor and then add the condensed milk and hazelnut oil. Melt the dark chocolate and add this to the mix giving it a good mix in the processor.

Spoon this into the chocolate lined mould then melt some more milk chocolate to cover the back and smooth over. Then repeat the process until you have used all the filling

Alternatively role the hazelnut mixture into balls and dip in melted milk chocolate. Feel free to decorate with any sprinkles or sparkles you like.

I was also playing around with chocolate transfer sheets also form cakes, cookies and crafts shop which look great on dark chocolate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cocoa Black

One of my Christmas presents I got was an afternoon class learning how to make chocolates at Cocoa Black. I spent yesterday afternoon making dark chocolate and orange ganache, milk chocolate and coffee truffles and praline squares. These are delicious!

In Progress

The class is very informative and dipping chocolate is (with the right tools) very therapeutic and relaxing. Needless to say I will be off to find the right tools so that I can dip my chocolates more effectively at home.

The finished products

For those of you who would like to make chocolates at home I highly recommend the Cocoa Black make your own truffles, praline in ganache class. I am now very tempted by some of their other classes :-)

Chocolate Tiramisu Cake



Ingredients

135g Butter

200g Good Dark Chocolate (75% or above)

8 Large Eggs, separated.

150g Plain Flour

2tbsp Brandy

110g Caster Sugar

Cocoa powder for dusting

For the topping

2tbsp Brandy

1-2 tsp Coffee Powder (I prefer Decaf)

250g Mascarpone

75g Icing Sugar

Pre heat the oven to 170oC. Grease a tin then dust with cocoa powder and set aside.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a pan of hot water, making sure no water gets in with the chocolate. When melted set aside to cool for 5 minutes, then stir in the egg yolks, flour and brandy until all combined.

In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. Add the sugar a tbsp at a time to the egg whites folding in gently. Fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture then place in your baking tin.

Bake for 45-50 minutes until firm to the touch and a skewer can be inserted and removed clean.

To make the topping mix the brandy and coffee together until the coffee dissolves then add to the mascarpone and icing sugar. Mix it all together and chill until ready to serve.

When ready to serve dust a slice of cake with icing sugar and a dollop of the mascarpone mix.

Vanilla Biscuits

Ingredients

225g Usalted Butter

225g Granulated Sugar

1 Large Egg

1/2 tsp Salt

2 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

290g Plain Flour

 

 

Pre-heat the oven to 190oC. Using an electric whisk mix the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Then whisk in the egg, vanilla and salt until all combined. Stir in a little flour at a time until all mixed together. Refrigerated the mix for 15 minutes to chill.

 

Line a flat tray with ungreased baking paper. Roll out your biscuits to about 5mm thick cut and place on the tray. Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown then remove from the oven and sprinkle with some caster sugar whilst warm. Place them on a rack to cool.

Perfect with a cuppa!
 

No Fruit Christmas Cake

 



Ingredients

 

225g Salted Butter

4 Large Eggs

200g Light Muscovado Sugar

1 tbsp Treacle

330g Plain Flour

2 tsp Baking Powder

1 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp Ground Ginger

1/2 tsp Nutmeg

100ml Milk

Zest of 1 Orange

Pre-heat the oven to 175oC and grease your tin, I like a ring tin for this cake.

 

Melt the butter and set aside to cool. Whisk the eggs, sugar and treacle together in a big bowl. In a separate bowl sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg together.

 

Stir the flour mix and the milk alternatively into the sugar and eggs, a little at a time folding gently to keep the air in. Once combined add the orange zest mix it together and add the butter gently. Pour into your tin and bake for 45-55 minutes (depending on your oven) until the cake is springy to touch and you can insert and skewer and pull it out clean.

 

Let the cake cool and then you can decorate with a dusting of icing sugar or a mix of orange juice and icing sugar which can be drizzled over the cake. Alternatively since this cake doesn't have any booze in it like a traditional Christmas cake you could use Cointreau and icing sugar and drizzle that instead.

 

Christmas Cake



Ingredients

 

500g Seedless Raisins

200g Currants

100g Chopped Glace Cherries

175g Mixed Peel

175g Chopped Almonds

125g Apricot Jam

6tbsp Dark Rum

1 1/2tbsp Soft Brown Sugar

One week before making the cake put all of the above ingredients into a bowl and cover, coming back to give it a stir every other day.

 

Oil and line a 9 inch round tin with two layers of baking parchment and wrap the outside of the tin with two layers of brown paper.

 

Pre heat oven to 150oC

 

Then you will need.

 

175g Butter

250g Soft Brown Sugar

4 Large Eggs

210g Plain Flour

3/4 tsp Baking Powder

Pinch of Salt

3/4 tsp Mixed Spice

3/4 tsp Nutmeg

Cream the butter and sugar together then add a little beaten egg gradually. Now add the fruit mix and give it a good stir. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, mixed spice and nutmeg all into the mix and give it another stir until all combined. Pour into the tin and bake for 3 1/2 hours. After 2 hours cover the top with a circle of grease proof paper.

 

When you remove the cake from the oven pour over another two tablespoons of rum. Wrap up and let it mature for a month or two, feeding it with a tablespoon of rum now and again. Then decorate just before Christmas.

 

Apple Chips and Toffee Sauce Dip

 

Ingredients

 

Apple Chips

 

2 Apples

Cinnamon (optional)

4tsp Caster Sugar

 

Toffee Sauce

 

110g Butter

250g Light Brown Sugar

275g Golden Syrup

225ml Double Cream

Pre heat the oven to 110oC. Cover a flat tray with grease proof paper. Cut the apples into quarters then chop out the core, cut them thinly and lay them so that none of them are overlapping. Sprinkle two teaspoons of caster sugar evenly over the chips and sprinkle evenly with two teaspoons of cinnamon too. Bake for 1 hour then turn over and sprinkle the remaining sugar and some more cinnamon. Bake for another hour then move to a clean bit of grease proof paper and bake for another 2 and a half hours. Turning them form time to time.

Once almost ready to come out of the oven start making the toffee sauce. Put the butter, sugar, golden syrup and cream into a large saucepan. Melt the ingredients together then bring to the boil for 3-5 minutes until thickened. Then take off the heat.

Remove the chips from the oven and set them on a plate with a little bowl of the dip (careful toffee dip will be hot to begin with). Best eaten warm as an alternative to the toffee apple.

(Toffee dip can be stored in the fridge and heated up again when needed, yummy on top of ice cream or plain sponge.)


 

Ghostly Meringues

 

To make ghostly meringues follow the link and use the recipe for meringues.

 

Trace a ghost shape like the one above onto grease proof paper and pipe meringue mix into that shape.

 

Once baked and cooled use a little water, icing sugar and black food colouring (don't make it to runny) to add eyes and a mouth to your ghosts.

 

Spider Web Cup Cakes

Ingredients

 

4oz Margarine or Butter

4oz Caster Sugar

3.5 oz Self Raising Flour

0.5oz Cocoa Powder

2 Eggs

Black food colouring

 

Icing

60g Unsalted Butter

75g Icing Sugar

25g Cocoa Powder

Black Food colouring

 

For the Web

Some icing sugar and water.

 

Pre heat the oven to 180oC. Cream the margerine and sugar together until light and fluffy. Whisk the eggs in one at a time then sift in the cocoa and flour. Stir it all together and then add some black food colouring to give a rich dark colour. Bake for 15-18 mins (depending on oven) until springy to touch.

 

Once cooked allow to cool thoroughly.

 

Mix the butter, icing sugar, cocoa and black food colouring together then smooth the icing over the cakes. Now mix a little water and icing sugar together and place a dot of this in the centre of your cake using a cocktail stick then make two rings around the centre one. From the centre using the cocktail stick drag lines outwards so that you get webs. Enjoy!

Halloween Chocolate Orange Cupcakes

Follow this recipe for chocolate orange cakes adding black food colouring to the cupcake mix to make it really dark then bake in a halloween themed cupcake case such as this one from cakes cookies and crafts shop

 

 

Instead of topping with chocolate use orange sprinkles and a cake topper of your choice I like these ones that I found on cakes cookies and crafts shop I think they give the cakes  a spooky feel to them.

 

 

 

If you have a look around online you can find lots of cupcake cases and toppers at reasonable prices. Also experiment with food colouring try adding green food colouring to cake mixes or lots of blood red colourings.

 

Ice Cream in Northern Ireland

I was away in Northern Ireland this weekend for a wedding so I haven't had time to bake anything, however whilst I was there I sampled some of the best ice creams. So if your ever in Northern Ireland why not keep these places in mind. :-)



Delicious Ice cream Oyster from Cafollas in Lurgan



This beast came from Sam's paper shop in Bushmills, and it almost had me beat!
 

Morellis in Portstewart has the best sundaes this one is a yellowman.

An after eight form Morellis

A banoffee pie from Morellis

And a nuts galore also from Morellis I should point out I didn't eat all these sundaes myself :-)

 

Crumble Cream Biscuits

 

Ingredients

350g Unsalted butter , softened

80g Icing sugar

300g Plain flour

50g Cornflour

50g Cocoa

 

For the Filling

175g Mascrapone

4tbsp Caster sugar

25g Plain chocolate (Plus 75g to decorate optional)

2tsp Vanilla Extract

25g Cocoa Powder

 

Pre heat the oven to 180oC. Beat the butter and sugar together until light and creamy then sift in the plain flour and corn flour mix it all together thoroughly then add the cocoa powder again mixing. Place grease proof paper on a baking tray. Roll into small balls and flatten down slightly on the tray. Try and make an equal amount. Bake for 15-20 mins. They may seem soft when they come out of the oven but they firm up once cool. (they are meant to crumble)

 

When the biscuits are cool beat the mascrapone together with sugar, melted chocolate, vanilla extract and cocoa powder. Spread a little onto the biscuits and sandwich them together. Drizzle chocolate over the top and there you have some crumble cream bicys!