So bad it's actually *good* for you.

When in a foul tempered over-tired and all round miserable state there really is no better remedy than throwing together as much sugar/syrup/butter/chocolate as you can find and making a batch of Rocky Road
(that you are then too tired to contemplate eating).

Work are going to love me. Fact.


Pink wafer biscuits, marshmallows, white chocolate chips and honeycomb pieces. I have no idea how much of what I used...it was a case of chuck it all together and hope for the best.


The chocolate coating consists of 225g un-salted butter, 2tbsp cocoa powder, 2tbsp caster sugar, 2tbsp golden syrup and 100g plain chocolate.
Melt all that together, leave to cool for ten minutes or so, then add in your sugary goodness.

(you could use anything you want; dried fruit, malteasers, biscuits, mini eggs, gummy bears....)

I started off with bite sized pieces, then got bored and smushed the rest in to a lined tray.


Chilled it in the fridge for a couple of hours,

and voila!


The bigger one was still setting, hence no photo. Apologies for the shocking photo quality, my camera was throwing a hissy fit and I really didn't have the energy to fight it!

Onwards and upwards.

((Ironic that I work in a doctors surgery full of chocoholics, right?))

Let me know if you make this and what your favourite combinations are!

xxx

Snickerdoodles!

So, as I mentioned yesterday, I had baking planned. Snickerdoodles are something I have seen time after time on blogs but had yet to make, I've had a recipe in my folder for quite some time now and decided enough was enough and I.Was.Going.To.Make.Them.

I'd put it off because I thought they'd be complicated. Um, how wrong was I? These were some of the easiest cookies I have ever made. EVER (and I've made a lot of cookies!)

The recipe I used was from Nigella Lawson's “How To Be Domestic Goddess”

Ingredients

250g plain flour
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg (I used mixed spice the first time which was also nice)
¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
125g butter, at room temperature
100g plus 2 tablespoons caster sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon cinnamon

2 baking sheets, lined or greased

Method

• Preheat oven to 180°C/gas mark 4.
• Combine the flour, nutmeg, baking powder and salt, and set aside for a moment.
• In a large bowl, cream the butter with the 100g of sugar until light in texture and pale in colour, then beat in the egg and vanilla.
• Now stir in the dry ingredients until you have a smooth, coherent mixture.
• Spoon out the remaining sugar and the cinnamon onto a plate, mix well.
• Then, with your fingers, squidge out pieces of dough and roll between the palms of your hands into walnut-sized balls.
• Roll each ball in the cinnamon-sugar mixture and arrange on your prepared baking sheets.
• Bake for about 15 minutes, by which time they should be turning golden-brown.
• Take out of the oven and leave to rest on the baking sheets for 1 minute before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

Makes about 32. They keep well for about 4/5 days in a tin.

Variation: Replace 25g of the flour with cocoa to make chocodoodles.

When I first put these on the tray to bake I was cautious because I've had a great big cookie blob far too many times in the past,
but actually these barely spread at all, so don't be afraid to cram them in!

And how many are left?!

Well, between myself, Mum, Dad and work...3 remain (but not for long!)

xxx

P.S. HAPPY PANCAKE DAY!

Baking part 2; photo overload!

As promised, here is part two of my baking epidemic which saw me spend three hours in the kitchen (and another half an hour cleaning up...I'm a messy cook). The fruits of my labour are so worth it though even with the aching arms and flour dusted hair.

First up was the Key Lime Cheesecake. I have no idea where we got this recipe but it's been stored in Mum's recipe box for years and gets carted out time and time again...

The Tools:

(side note, condensed milk gets EVERYWHERE.) ((There is oddly no cheese in this cheesecake.))
(((apologies for dad's cigarettes being in the photo)))


See the rolling pin? That's for bashing...you could use a food processor but it's more fun this way!

Ingredients:
75g (3oz) butter
225g (8oz) ginger biscuits, bashed in to itty bitty pieces
1/2 pint double cream
The juice and rind of four limes
218g sweetened condensed milk

+ cream and lime slices to decorate

Method:
Melt the butter and mix in the biscuit crumbs, press in to your tin (we always use a spring form tin as it's easier to remove the cheesecake). Place in fridge to chill for around 45 mins.



Whisk together all the other ingredients, blending until thick and smooth (I heartily recommend an electric mixer!)

Spread over the chilled base and return to fridge for a few hours to set.





Decorate with slices of lime and serve with cream if you wish.

Ta-da. A super simple but really bloody gorgeous dessert!

Next I made the Malteaser Cupcakes, using this recipe (please note the recipe states it makes 12 cupcakes that bake for 25 minutes. I ended up with 24 that cooked in 12 minutes so be careful when they are in the oven!)

No point in copy/pasting the recipe, it's easy to click so on with the photos!



My stash of cake cases!



The Russian Doll is my salt shaker



In the end I used the three bags of malteasers in the mix (around 120g) then scavenged another bag for the topping!





My piping bag is older than I am and not the best...so I gave up after half and just dolloped the icing on. When cakes are this good, they don't need to be pretty!



I made half the quantity of icing that the recipe states and that was enough for the 24 cakes. I also added a tsp of edible glitter whilst mixing it up.

Now the cakes are packed in my stacking cake tins awaiting tonight's American Supper!

Let me know if you make either of these!

((the cheesecake would also work well with lemon, and experiment with other biscuits for the base!))

xxx

Baking, part one.

Tomorrow is going to be mad baking day in preparation for the evening, but given that it's only Mum and I going and Dad is staying at home, I decided to bake him a treat today so he doesn't get left out.

I had a bar of Chilli chocolate from Thorntons knocking around (I may have bought a few too many of these once upon a time, I love it, but I'm a little sick of it) and a recipe for Chocolate Orange chunk cookies, so decided to have a play and sub the Orange for Chilli and see what happened!

The result an amazing smelling house (it's worth making these for the smell alone), cookies with a light, cake type texture and a very happy Dad!


Look at that chunk! SO good.
And yes, they are a little anaemic looking but personally I am a fan of slightly underdone cookies...

Want to have a go at making these? Here's the recipe, found on Recipe Network

250g butter, softened;
50g caster sugar;
100g light muscovado sugar; (I used all Caster Sugar)
300g self-raising flour;
2 tbsp milk;
175g orange-flavoured dark chocolate, roughly chopped; (subbed for Chilli Chocolate)
50g pecan nuts, roughly chopped. (Left out because I had none!)

Beat together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Stir in the flour and milk, mix well then stir in the chocolate and nuts.

Divide the mixture into 18 equal portions. Roughly shape each portion into a ball. Put on lined baking sheets making sure they are well spaced out. Lightly flatten each biscuit.

Bake for 15-20 minutes at 180c/fan 160/gas 4, until lightly golden around the edges but still a bit soft in the middle. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool slighty before eating.

These were such a hit I'm going to experiment with other flavours of chocolate, Green and Blacks Butterscotch is begging to be tried as are some of Thorntons latest offerings (mango or banana perhaps?)

Let me know if you make these, and if you experiment with some fun flavours!

I'll post the cheesecake recipe and malteaser cupcake recipe tomorrow

xxx

Got my Bake ON!

So, as I mentioned yesterday, it's my Grandad's Birthday today! We popped round with his presents yesterday so he'd have them to open first thing, but Mum, Dad and I are going round tonight for dinner and I want to take another little something.

First up I made a gingerbread loaf in place of a traditional Birthday cake. It is a favourite with everyone in this family, you'll find the recipe in this post.


It isn't the prettiest of cakes, but it more than makes up for it with yummy taste and smell!

Next up was an experimental batch of cookies. I have a HUGE box of muesli that is running out of date faster than I can eat it, so I wanted to incorporate it in baking, somehow, but I'm fed up of making flapjacks. I adapted a recipe I have for oat cookies with m&ms (posted on here waaay back!) and added in some chopped dates as they are my Grandad's favourite.

Cookie experiment = massive success. I HAD to sample one and oh man. The dates give a toffee-ish taste and the cookie is crunchy and chewy at the same time.
They are now in a glass jar with a gift tag ready to be presented to the Birthday Boy.






For these cookies you will need:

150g self raising flour
150g muesli (I used a low sugar one from Lidl)
150g sugar (I used soft, dark brown, but caster is fine!)
150g butter
2tbsp golden syrup
2tbsp milk
Chopped dates...I used about double what you see in the picture and chopped each one in to about five pieces.

Method:

Pre-heat your oven to 180*c

Sift together the flour, muesli and sugar. Add in the chopped dates and mix together.

Melt the butter, syrup and milk, stirring until all the butter is dissolved.

Pour the liquid in to the dry mixture and blend well.

Shape in to rounds (I used a tablespoon for size) and place on a lined baking tray...these don't spread too much so you can put them quite near each other.

Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden. I have a fan oven and they took just under 10 minutes, so do keep an eye on them!

Wait for the biscuits to firm up then move to a wire cooling rack.

ENJOY

xxx

Finally got my Bake on

Thursday morning saw me at a loss,
and generally with me that means I want to BAKE. For once I had adequate ingredients in the house
and so bake I did!

First up came Flapjacks from my favourite recipe book (which is probably older than I am!)



Fast Flapjacks

225g (8oz) Butter
225g (8oz) Demerara Sugar (I used soft brown sugar)
75g (3oz) Golden Syrup
275g (10oz) Porridge Oats

I also added a liberal dose of cocoa powder and cinnamon.

Preheat oven to 160*c/140* for fan oven, or Gas Mark 3
Grease a 12 x 9 inch baking tin.

Melt the butter in a large pan along with the sugar and syrup, then stir in the oats (and whatever else you are adding!) Mix well and spread in to the prepared tin and press flat.

Bake for about 35 minutes until golden brown (mine were done after 30 and still over-done so check on them a lot!) Leave to cool for 10 minutes before marking in to 24 bars and leaving to finish cooling in the tin.





Like I mentioned above, mine came out really, really crispy and the majority stayed in the tin! But what I did salvage were delicious! You can experiment with pretty much any add ins you want...if using chocolate chips leave the mix to cool before adding those.

I was desperate to take something in to work for a much needed sugar boost but the flapjacks simply didn't make enough...
I had just enough time to make, but not decorate a simple vanilla sponge, so I added about half a tub of sprinkles to the mix before baking!




I don't need a recipe book to make a sponge, I just use the 2:2:2:1 method

2oz butter
2oz caster sugar
2oz flour
1 egg

(plus a dash of vanilla essence and sprinkles!)

To make a cake the size I did (8 inch tin) I simply doubled all the quantitys, mixed it all together, poured in to a greased/lined tin and baked at 180* for about 18 minutes
(you can tell it is done when the cake is golden brown and a knife/skewer poked inside comes out clean)

For a chocolate cake you'd replace 1oz flour with 1oz cocoa (give or take!)

What have you baked lately?

Care to link me to recipes?

xxx

Double Velvet and Christmas Baking

My lust for velvet is insatiable. Last week I picked up this red bodycon dress in New Look for £5, although it's far too short to wear as a dress, so I teamed it with my Primark velvet skirt





I'm ignorning the fact that wearing double velvet makes me sound like a toilet roll.

I also discovered a vintage velvet dress in my wardrobe that I had forgotten about, so that'll probably be showcased some time soon, and Mum is meant to be making me a velvet skirt when she has time! We bought the fabric back around Easter!

Re-coloured the hair yesterday, it came out darker, and less red than expected but I like it. It's warm and perfect for this time of year.



And finally today I had a chance to bake. I'm learning to do it for fun now, instead of as an obsession and my only regret is that I haven't enough time to do as much as I'd like...I'm going to make it a new years resolution to get back in to it!
However, today I made spiced and coco shortbread. It may not look pretty (despite edible glitter) but it tastes, and smells AMAZING.







I used this recipe, from one of my favourite foodie magazines...

I'm not sure I'll get a chance to make anything else this side of Christmas but watch out for new recipes in the new year!

Have you done any festive baking? I'd love recipes!

xxx

ginger cake recipe

As a follow on to yesterday's post, here is the recipe for the ginger cake, from Tesco website.

Ingredients:

175 g butter
175 g soft brown sugar
175 g golden syrup
200 ml milk
2 eggs, whisked
325 g self-raising flour
2 tsp ground ginger
1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

(you could also try adding stem ginger, or crystallized ginger for an added kick, or maybe some dried fruit)

Method:

1.Heat oven to Gas 2, 150°C, 300°F. Butter and line a 1kg (2lb) loaf tin with baking paper.
2.Melt butter, sugar and syrup in a pan on a low heat, mix so that the sugar has melted into the butter and syrup. remove from the heat, add the milk and blend until smooth, add the eggs and mix in. Finally fold in the flour, ginger and bicarbonate of soda, pour into the prepared loaf tin.
3.Bake for 1 hour, then cover with baking paper and bake for another 30 minutes. To check that the cake is cooked insert a knife into the middle and it should come out clean.
4.Remove cake from the oven and leave for 5 minutes, then turn out of the baking tin and cool. If possible, wrap cake in greaseproof paper and leave it in a tin to enrich for a week as it improves with age.

(Personally, I prefer the cake straight from the oven)



(points in italics are my additions)

I'm planning to make one and ice in instead of a Christmas cake this year.

Baking Post; Rocky Road

Ok despite the title, this isn't technically a baking post as no oven is involved. I spent some of yesterday afternoon in the kitchen making Rocky Road as a treat for my parents and their colleagues...
totally going to put them in a sugar coma today!



This would be it before chilling for at least two hours.

Want the recipe?
Of course you do! The one I used comes from the Good to Know website, one of my favourites for quick and easy recipes.

Ingredients:

100g/4oz unsalted butter
225g/8oz plain chocolate, broken into pieces
2tbsp golden syrup
2tbsp cocoa powder
2tbsp caster sugar
100g/4oz Maltesers®
100g/4oz mixed milk and white chocolate chips
100g/4oz mini marshmallows
225g/8oz ginger biscuits, broken into pieces
Icing sugar to dust

Method:

1.Line a 20 cm/8in square cake tin with baking parchment.
2.In a small pan heat the butter, plain chocolate, golden syrup, caster sugar, cocoa powder and stir together with a wooden spoon. Once melted together leave to cool for 10 minutes.
3.In a large bowl place the Maltesers®, milk and white chocolate chip, mini marshmallows, ginger biscuits and bind together with the melted chocolate sauce.
4.Pour into the lined tin and leave to set in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours.
5.Remove from cake tin and slice into 16 snack-sized rocky road bars.
6.Dust with icing sugar to serve.

Direct link to the recipe here

And how did it look once set?

Well, judge for yourself!







This was seriously simple to make, I highly recommend you give it a go!

I'm going to play around with the ingredients a bit next time and try making substitions,
some ideas:

Vary the type of chocolate used to milk, or white.

You can pretty much use any type of biscuit; rich teas, oreos, cookies, shortbread...

Same for the add ins, use dried fruit, nuts, any kind of sweet/chocolate

I think you can just about let your imagination go wild and get amazing results regardless!


And, as a bonus, here is my Anna Sui dress that I got from the outnet



I just adore it,
not so much this photo though! Mum snapped it on my phone and I wasn't quite ready!

Hope your having a lovely week so far...half way to the weekend!

xxx

31.03 outfits, easter biscuits and life

Hello, I hope everyone is having a good week so far? This might turn in to a bit of an epic post, so apologies in advance!

Yesterday saw me gravitating towards a lot of blue for my outfit, I'm not sure why, it isn't a colour I am instantly drawn to, but it also gave me a chance to re-experiment with the double denim approach.







I guess it's a semi nautical look as well? I'm not sure, I did remember part way through the day why I don't wear these shorts often; they button up both sides at the front and are a nightmare for toilet breaks!

Today I reverted back to my more typical style, not at all weather appropriate as it is still bitterly cold and miserable outside, but it's almost April, I'm dressing for spring regardless...







As you've probably noticed by now, Wednesday is my typical baking day...with Easter on Sunday I went seasonal and made traditional Easter biscuits, which are a real family favourite. These smell incredible when baking with the spices and dried fruits!

You can find the recipe I used here
when it came to adding the spice, I was very liberal...so I hope they are still edible! I used approx a tsp of mixed spice, and a further tsp of cinnamon.





I couldn't resist breaking away from the traditional round shape of the biscuit when I re-discovered some bunny shaped cookie cutters at the back of my baking supply drawer!

And finally, on a serious note,
my appointments Monday led to me having to make a difficult commitment in terms of treatment for my eating disorder,
I won't say more than that for now as I'm unsure as to when things will happen etc,
but mentally my head is all over the place at the moment, and so, please forgive me if I don't get around to commenting on your blogs as much as I usually do...it's hard to focus and find the words.
Silly to apologise? Perhaps, but I have always prided myself on keeping up to date with everyone who takes the time to visit my little blog and leaves such wonderful words for me, so I do have a sense of guilt going on
*hides away embarrased*

Much love all
xoxox