Minnie Mouse Cupcakes

So I kinda have a obsession with Disney and last weekend me and my best friend had a baking day including making these cute Minnie Mouse cupcakes.

 Again I used the basic chocolate sponge recipe where all the ingredients weigh the same as the eggs. Please note that the cocoa powder and flour together should also equal the weight of the eggs You can use however much you like, however here is the amount I would roughly use. If the eggs weight 130g then I would do 100g flour and 30g cocoa powder.

We baked the cupcakes and then used the traditional vanilla buttercream icing, which is 250g icing sugar, 80g softened butter, 25ml milk and a drop of vanilla essence all whizzed together in the mixer and then put into a piping bag.

The fun part is the decorating. Minnie's ears are Cadburys Giant Chocolate Buttons and to make the bow we used red fondant icing and white balls (similar to silver balls) for the dots. 

These are very simple and easy cupcakes and ideal if you are hosting a party or to make for someone as a gift.

Disney loving xoxo

Honeycomb Cupcakes

I recently visited Waitrose and spotted in the baking section some little pots of honeycomb, and had a brain wave to make honeycomb cupcakes.

I used a basic chocolate cupcake mix as detailed in previous blog posts.
I then found a recipe for malted chocolate butter cream which used horlicks, and it tasted delicious. I put all the ingredient below in a mixer and whizzed until smooth and fluffy and then piped onto the cakes.

250g icing sugar
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
45g horlicks
125g unsalted butter
2 tablespoons boiling water


The cupcakes were such a success I had to make more the next day!! However the next time I made them we had run out of cocoa powder so I used hot chocolate instead, and I think i preferred them made with hot chocolate as the cakes seemed lighter and fluffier and so did the icing.

Happy baking!! xoxo

Easter Nest Cupcakes

You can tell I am home for the weekend, as the baking begins. I have decided to take the weekend off from Uni and writing my dissertation to enjoy being with my family, and of course doing lots of baking!

Yesterday I make Easter Nest Cupcakes for the family to enjoy.

I used to basic classic sponge recipe as I have explained earlier in this blog. You weigh the eggs, then whatever the eggs weigh, everything except the baking powder and vanilla essence should weigh this too. So my 2 eggs weighed 120g, so my flour, butter and sugar was also 120g - very easy to make cakes this way!!

I divided the mixture between 12 cake cases, not filling them too much as wanted to be able to decorate them!

Once cooled, I made glace icing, iced the cakes and covered them in hundreds and thousands.
I then made butter icing and piped a little nest on top of the cake and placed mini eggs on top.

They looked so cute and tasted good too. I got a little snap happy taking pictures!
Happy Easter! xoxo

Malteeser Biscuits

I have made Malteeser biscuits for as long as I can remember. I first discovered these after a trip to Northern Ireland. We went to a cute cafe and had Malteeser Tiffin and afterwards it was my mission to recreate them. I baked them in my flat at uni and brought them home for the family to enjoy! It was my way of cheering myself up when all I wanted was to be home for Christmas!

I combined a couple of recipes and created the perfect biscuit.

Biscuit:
200g milk chocolate
100g dark chocolate
250g (roughly) digestive biscuits
150g malteesers
3 tbsp golden syrup
100g butter

Topping:
300g milk chocolate or (150g dark and 150g milk)

Melt the chocolate, butter and syrup together. Then crush the digestive biscuits and add to the metled mixture, add more or less as desired. Lightly crush the malteesers and add to the mixture also. Place in a lined tray and leave to cool slightly. Melt the chocolate for the topping and pour on top.

Leave to cool if you're not tempted to eat them! I find they taste better a couple of days later also!

Malteeser loving xoxo

Cake Pops

My dear friend bought me a belated present of Cake Pop's starter kit. The two kits were from Lakeland, the first being the mould/tray the cake mixture is cooked in. The second being a pack that included a stand, sticks and presentation bags.

I had never made cake pops, and took the rainy afternoon as the opportunity to make them.
Firstly I made the mixture and halved the recipe on the back of the packaging (as the recipe made 40 and I didn't need that many!)

Recipe

60g butter, sofened

75g caster sugar

90g self raising flour, sifted

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg

1.5 tbsp milk

1) Cream the butter and sugar together until well mixed and fluffy.

2) Add the vanilla and eggs, and mix well

3) Add the flour and milk and mix until well combined

4) Place the mould onto a baking tray then spoon the mixture into the cake mould, ensuring each cavity is full. Close the mould.

5) Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes at 180 degrees. 

6) Once cooked, and a skewer comes out clean leave the cake pops to cool

7) Once cooled push a stick into each of the pops

8) Dip the cake pops into icing or chocolate and decorate as desired

The silicone tray and presentation kit can be bought from Lakeland :)

Happy Baking :) xoxo

Oreo Milkshakes

As you can probably tell by now, I am addicted to Oreo's. At the weekend I decided to attempt Oreo Milkshakes. Whenever I go for a drink at a cafe that sells milkshakes I will without a doubt choose the Oreo Milkshake. So I decided to try and make them myself - they are quite expensive to buy in the shops, and don't cost much to make at all, especially as Oreo's always seem to be half price at the supermarkets. 64p for a packed, would be rude not to!!

The recipe too be honest is all about guessing and depends on how 'Oreoy' you would like you milkshake.
For example the first batch I made my mum said was too Oreo flavoured, but I loved it, and the second batch I made I used less Oreo's and mum loved it!

You will need good quality ice cream for this, not the fake super white stuff you can buy. I used Kelly's of Cornwall Clotted Cream Ice Cream.

I used 4 generous scoops of ice cream and 7 Oreo's broken up with a dash of milk, whizzed up with a blender until smooth. Then gradually added 100 ml of milk until a smooth milkshake was formed.
However you may use more or less Oreo's depending on the strength you would like and more or less milk, depending on how thick of thin you like your milkshakes. For me this was perfect, however for my mum she preferred only 4 Oreo's.

I then poured the mixture into a glass, topped with squirty cream and a sprinkling of crushed Oreo's. I finished the milkshake with a mini Oreo.

Baking with Oreos

Yesterday I had day of baking with Oreo's. I have a slight addiction to Oreo's, my favourites being the double stuff ones - delicious!

I first made Hidden Oreo Cupcakes, these have a secret Oreo hidden at the bottom of them and are topped with tasty Oreo butter icing. 

For these I used a traditional chocolate sponge recipe/method. Again I used the technique that I read about in a magazine where you weigh the eggs before hand and then all the ingredients follow the weight of the eggs. My 2 large eggs weighed 130 grams, therefore all the ingredients followed this. You will need to adapt the recipe to whatever your eggs weigh. For the dry ingredients they need to add up to the 130g also otherwise the mixture becomes too dense. I used 100g flour and 30g of cocoa powder, and this was the perfect chocolate ratio!
This recipe made 14 cupcakes. 

Ingredients: 

2 eggs (130g grams)
130g butter, at room temperature
130g caster sugar
130g dry ingredients, therefore 100g self raising flour and 30g of cocoa powder
1tsp baking powder
14 Oreo's

250g icing sugar, sifted
80g unsalted butter, at room temperature
25ml milk
4-5 Oreo's, crushed

Method:

1) Preheat the oven to 180c
2) Cream the butter and sugar together in an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, and the dry ingredients and beat until all combined and smooth. 
3) Place a whole Oreo at the bottom of all the  cupcake cases
4) Top the Oreo's with the cake mixture
5) Cook in the oven for 15-20 minutes until a skewer comes out clean and the sponge bounces back when touched. 
6) Leave to cool on a baking rack
7) Whisk the icing sugar, butter and milk in a mixer until combined on a slow speed. Then turn the mixer up to high speed and whisk until fluffy, the longer you mix the fluffier the icing!
8) Add the crushed Oreo's and mix until all combined.
9) When the cupcakes are cooled pipe the icing on top
10) Enjoy!

Next I made Mars Bar and Oreo Mousse, these are a Mars Bar chocolate mousse topped with crushed Oreo's - delicious!

These are perfect for a dinner party as can be made well in advance and kept in the fridge. Additionally the individual portions/ramekins are ideal!

Ingredients:

4 standard (51g) Mars Bars, chopped into pieces

50ml milk

4 tbsp cocoa powder

3 large egg whites

6-7 Oreo's, crushed

Method:

1) Put the Mars Bars, milk and cocoa powder in a saucepan. Heat on a low heat until all melted.

2) Leave to cool for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure that no lumps form.

3) Whisk the egg whites until softly peaking.

4) Fold in a quarter of the chocolate sauce. Once incorporated fold in the remaining mixture.

5) If there are any bits or lumps, whisk quickly with an electric whisk to ensure a smooth mixture

6) Spoon into individual ramekins and place in the fridge to set.

7) After an hour or so, sprinkle the Oreo's on top of the mousse then place back in the fridge ready to eat when necessary. 

Happy Oreo Baking!! xoxo

Weekend Baking

This weekend I have enjoyed a spot of baking and thought I would share my recipes with you! 

I have been making the melt in the middle chocolate puddings for years and they are one of my most favourite things to bake, my whole family love them! They are delicious served with Chantilly cream. The raspberry and apple crumble squares I made for the first time today as I was craving raspberries. I slightly over cooked the apple but I think I preferred them this way as it meant the cake was soft and fudge like. I will definitely be making these again - the perfect summer pudding! 

Hot chocolate fondant puddings (melt in the middle chocolate puddings)

50g butter
75g caster sugar
170g tube condensed milk
4 large eggs, beaten
1tsp vanilla extract
350g dark chocolate, melted
75g plain flour
icing sugar to dust

1) Grease and base line six 150ml Dariole moulds or pudding basins
2) Beat together the butter and sugar using an electric whisk until pale and creamy. Gradually whisk in the condensed milk.
3) Gently whisk in the eggs and then the vanilla essence. Add the melted chocolate, mix throuoghly then finally add the flour. Whisk all until smooth.
4) Divide the mixture between the 6 moulds. You can store in the fridge untill needed or cook immediately.
5) If you cannot resit the temptation to eat, cook for roughly 10 mins. If cooking from chilled the puddings will need 12-13 mins. 
6) Run a knife around the edge to tip out the mould, when cut into the middle they should be soft and gooey and delicious!

Raspberry and apple crumble squares

1 Bramley apple, peeled and diced
100g butter, softened
175g golden caster sugar
1 egg
280g self-raising flour
200g raspberries

for the crumble
50g butter, softened
100g golden caster sugar
85g self raising flour

1) Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line a 20 x 30cm cake tin with baking parchment. Put the apple in a small pan with 2 tbsp water. Cook for a few mins or until the apple starts to soften.
2) Meanwhile, make the crumble topping. Rub the butter into the flour, sugar until it resembles big breadcrumbs, or put in a food processor, then set aside.
3) Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl until fluffy, then gradually add the egg. Tip in the flour and milk, and continue to beat until everything is combined. Incorporate the apples then spoon the mixture into the tin, smooth the surface, then dot with the raspberries. Sprinkle over the crumble topping and bake for 45 mins or until a skewer inserted comes out clean, and the topping is golden.

Happy baking xoxo

Venetian Duck Ragu

I had lots of holiday to use up from work, so on one of my days off I decided to treat the family to this duck recipe for dinner!

We rarely eat duck in or family (usually only when we have a Chinese takeaway, duck pancakes mmm!!), so this was a treat! Additionally this is a very authentic Italian recipe, and we love Italian food in my family!

I stumbled across this recipe when it was the feature recipe on BBC Good Food website and the picture caught my attention. It is one of the most flavoursome pasta recipes I have ever made, and this will be because it is left to simmer and bubble away for 2 hours! It is simply divine!

Ingredients:

4 duck legs

2 onions, finely chopped

2 fat garlic cloves, crushed

2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp plain flour

250ml red wine

2x 400g cans chopped tomatoes

1 chicken stock cube, made up to 250ml

3 rosemary sprigs, leaves picked and chopped

2 bay leaves 

1 tsp sugar

2 tbsp milk

600g paccheri or pappardelle pasta

Method: 

1) Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the duck legs and brown on all sides for about 10 mins. Remove to a plate and set aside. Add the onions to the pan and cook for 5 mins until softened. Add the garlic and cook for a further 1 minute , then stir in the cinnamon and flour and cook for a further minute. Return the duck to the pan, add the wine, tomatoes, stock, herbs, sugar and seasoning. Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat, cover with a lid and cook for 2 hrs, stirring every now and then.

2) Carefully lift the duck legs out of the sauce and place on a plate – they will be very tender so try not to lose any of the meat. Pull off and discard the fat, then shred the meat with 2 forks and discard the bones. Add the meat back to the sauce with the milk and simmer, uncovered, for a further 10-15 minutes while you cook the pasta.

3) Cook the pasta following pack instructions, then drain, reserving a cup of the pasta water, and add the pasta to the ragu. Stir to coat all the pasta in the sauce and cook for 1 minute more, adding a splash of cooking liquid if it looks dry. Serve with grated Parmesan, if you like!

Buon appetito!! xoxo

The Scone Debate

I recently watched Mary Berry Cooks on BBC 2 and have been craving a warm scone with clotted cream ever since. So my little brother and I made some scones this afternoon. I thought I would share the recipe with you as it is very simple and also super quick, so ideal when you want to whip up something sweet in a rush! This is not Mary Berry's recipe from the programme, however we found this recipe in a newspaper and it has been a firm favourite ever since!

Vanilla Scones
Serves 9

225g self raising flour
2 tbsp caster sugar
55g butter
140ml milk
2tsp vanilla extract
beaten egg or milk to glaze

- Pre-heat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas6
- Mix the flour, sugar and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Cut the butter into pea sized cubes and rub into the flour with fingertips until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs
- Mix the milk and the vanilla. Pour into the flour and mix to a sticky dough with a spoon.
- Dust the work surface with flour and scrape the dough onto it. Dust more flour on top of the dough. With hands pat into a square 2.5cm thick
- With a knife cut the dough into 9 squares, then put onto a greased baking tray. Glaze with milk or beaten egg
- Cook in the oven until golden for approx 15 minutes then cool on a wire rack

(Berries, sultanas, raisins or currents can also be added to the mixture to create fruit scones. If you want to make the scones look perfect than of course a cutter can be used!)

These scones are best served warm, with jam and clotted cream :) Unfortunately I am allergic to strawberries, so I just had mine with clotted cream!
Mary Berry said on her show that there is serious debate in the which is the correct order to put the jam and cream on the scone. I found out that in Devon they put the cream fist followed by a dollop of jam. But in Cornwall the tradition is a layer of jam followed by the cream. How do you like yours?

There is also big debate on the way to pronounce the word scone.
Is the scone gone or to does the scone go home?!

I shall leave you with that thought, Happy Baking! xoxo