Forever Baking . . .

Mini Cadbury Cream Egg Brownies

Posted on April 1, 2014 in Brownies

If I had to pick one thing I’m most looking forward to at Easter it’s definitely the Cadbury Creme Eggs. I love the creaminess inside the chocolate shell. I wish they make this ginormous egg so I can eat the filling with the spoon.

As you’d expect, these brownies are incredibly sweet, but if you’re a fan of creme eggs that probably won’t worry you. They are very fudge, rich and gooey – possibly the naughtiest brownies I have ever made.

Ingredients

185g unsalted butter

185g dark chocolate

85g plain flour

40g cocoa powder

100g cadburys mini creme eggs (100g bag)

3 large eggs

275g golden caster sugar

Preheat oven to 160C.

Melt the butter and dark chocolate together either in the microwave or in a bowl over boiling water.

Break 3 large eggs into a large bowl and tip in the golden caster sugar.

With an electric mixer on maximum speed, whisk the eggs and sugar until they look thick and creamy, like a milk shake. This can take 3-8 minutes, You’ll know it’s ready when the mixture becomes really pale and about double its original volume.

Pour the cooled chocolate mixture over the eggy mousse, then gently fold together with a rubber spatula.

Hold a sieve over the bowl of eggy chocolate mixture and sift the cocoa and flour mixture, shaking the sieve from side to side, to cover the top evenly. Gently fold in to the mixture.

Then cut the cadburys mini creme eggs in half then just add them into mixture making sure they are evenly spread!

Pour the chocolate mixture into a square 20cm baking tin and level the mixture so its flat.

Place in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes. ( I like mine to still be slightly gooey and fudgy in the middle so tend to bake for 20 minutes maximum.)

Remove from over and leave in tin to cool.

Once the tin feels cool, gently remove and place onto a wire rack to cool further. Cut into squares and serve.

Hot Cross Buns

Posted on March 26, 2014 in Breakfast Recipes

For as long as I can remember, Easter has always been celebrated with some hot cross buns in my family. Hot cross buns are small, spiced, sticky, glazed fruit buns with pastry crosses, which are traditionally eaten on Good Friday. Served as a classic Easter treat, the buns can also be enjoyed at any time of year.

Ingredients for the buns:
300ml full-fat milk, plus 2 tbsp more
50g butter
500g strong bread flour
1 tsp salt
75g caster sugar
1 tbsp sunflower oil
7g sachet fast-action or easy-blend yeast
1 egg, beaten
75g sultanas
50g mixed peel ( I left this out as I’m not keen on peel)
zest 1 orange
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Ingredients for the cross:
75g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

Ingredients for the glaze:
3 tbsp apricot jam

Bring the milk to the boil, then remove from the heat and add the butter. Leave to cool until it reaches hand temperature.

Put the flour, salt, sugar and yeast into a free standing mixer bowl.

Make a well in the centre. Pour in the warm milk and butter mixture, then add the egg.

Mix well using a dough hook attachment until everything comes together and you have a sticky dough.

With the dough still in the bowl, tip in the sultanas, mixed peel, orange zest and cinnamon. Mix until all ingredients are evenly distributed.

Tip on to a lightly floured surface and knead by holding the dough with one hand and stretching it with the heal of the other hand, then folding it back on itself. Repeat for 5 mins until smooth and elastic.

Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with oiled cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hr or until doubled in size and a finger pressed into it leaves a dent.

Divide the dough into 15 even pieces (about 75g per piece) Roll each piece into a smooth ball on a lightly floured work surface.

Arrange the buns on one or two baking trays lined with parchment, leaving enough space for the dough to expand. Cover (but don’t wrap) with more oiled cling film, or a clean tea towel, then set aside to prove for 1 hr more.

Heat oven to 200C. Mix the 75g of flour with about 5 tbsp water to make the paste for the cross – add the water 1 tbsp at a time, so you add just enough for a thick paste. Spoon into a piping bag with a small nozzle. Pipe a line along each row of buns, then repeat in the other direction to create crosses.

Bake for 20 mins on the middle shelf of the oven, until golden brown.

Gently heat the apricot jam to melt, then sieve to get rid of any chunks.

While the jam is still warm, brush over the top of the warm buns and leave to cool.

American Pancakes

Posted on March 2, 2014 in Breakfast Recipes

I am a big fan of English pancakes (crepes), but not for me the once-a-year treat, I eat them often usually with lemon & sugar, but this year I fancied making American Pancakes ready for Shrove Tuesday. You know the ones, those thick, spongy American pancakes that are eaten with warm maple syrup and crispy fried bacon. You can easily cook these pancakes by dolloping the batter onto a hot griddle (smooth or ridged) or in a heavy based pan.

The pancakes are light and fluffy and great to make for this coming Shrove Tuesday or even just for a weekend brunch. Try adding a large handful of fresh blueberries or chocolate chips to the batter before cooking.

Ingredients

135g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

2 tbsp caster sugar

130 ml milk

1 egg

2 tbsp melted butter

To Serve

Maple syrup (ideally the real stuff)

Butter

Blueberries

Bananas

Chocolate Chips

Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and caster sugar into a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, lightly whisk together the milk and egg, then whisk in the melted butter.

Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and, using a whisk beat until you have a smooth batter. Any lumps will soon disappear with a little mixing. Then let the batter stand for a few minutes.

Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and add a knob of butter. When it’s melted, add a ladle of batter. It will seem very thick but this is how it should be.

Wait until the top of the pancake begins to bubble, then turn it over and cook until both sides are golden brown and the pancake has risen a little.

Repeat until all the batter is used up. You can keep the pancakes warm in a low oven, but they taste best fresh out the pan.

Serve with lashings of real maple syrup, crispy bacon and extra butter if you like. You can experiment by adding bananas and chocolate chips or some fresh blueberries.

Chocolate Chip and Oreo Cookie Squares

Posted on February 22, 2014 in Traybakes

These Chocolate Chip and Oreo Cookie squares are nothing short of heavenly. I think the chocolate chip cookie base with a layer of Oreo truffle which is then topped with milk chocolate is the perfect combination.

Ingredients

115g unsalted butter, softened

65g granulated sugar

100g light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

190g plain flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

350g chocolate chips

30 Oreo cookies

100g cream cheese

2 teaspoons shortening (Trex)

Preheat the oven to 180°C and line an “8×8” pan with foil and grease.

Cream butter and both sugars until combined using a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment.

Combine flour, bicarbonate of soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir and set aside. Turn mixer on low. Add the egg then mix in vanilla extract.

Add flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until combined.

Mix in 150g of chocolate chips.

Press the chocolate chip dough into the prepared pan. Chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.

Bake bars in the preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes, until the top is golden. Let cool completely.

Place Oreos and cream cheese in a food processor and run until the mixture forms a sticky mixture.

Place the Oreo mixture on top of the cooled cookie and press with your hands to flatten into an even layer.

Heat the remaining 200g of chocolate chips with 2 teaspoons of Trex in a microwave safe bowl for 30 seconds, stirring in between each, until melted and smooth.

Pour over the top of the Oreo truffle layer and spread evenly. Chill in fridge until set, a few hours.

To minimize the chocolate cracking when cutting, let the bars come to room temperature before cutting.

Valentines Vanilla Cupcakes

Posted on February 13, 2014 in Cupcakes

Why spend money on chocolates when you can treat your valentine to homemade cupcakes? Bake up some sweets for your valentine this Valentine’s Day with these tasty love-themed cupcake decorating ideas.

The best part about these cupcakes, though, is the decoration. There is no limit when it comes to decorating. With so many ways to make them and so many flavors and colors to use, you can make any boring vanilla cupcake something extra special.

Ingredients for the vanilla cupcakes:

110g unsalted butter (at room temperature)

225g caster sugar

2 large eggs

150g self-raising flour, sifted

125g plain flour, sifted

120ml semi-skimmed milk (at room temperature)

1 teaspoon of good quality vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a 12-hole muffin tray with the appropriate size cupcake cases.

In a mixing bowl cream the butter and sugar until the mixture is pale and smooth, this should take about 3-5 minutes using a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing for a few minuets after each addition.

Combine the two flours in a separate bowl. Put the milk and vanilla extract in a jug.

Add one third of the combined flour to the creamed mixture and beat well, then pour in one third of the milk and vanilla extract and beat again. Repeat these steps until all the flour and milk have been added.

Carefully spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases, filling them about two thirds full to allow the mixture to rise when cooking. Bake in the oven for about 20 minuets (regular size case) or 15 minutes (mini size cases).

Remove from the oven and carefully place them onto a wire rack to cool.

To decorate:

Ingredients

Icing sugar

Red, Pink and White royal icing

Roll out the white royal icing on an icing sugar dusted surface to 1/8 inch thick. Cut out with a round cookie cutter and apply to the cupcakes. Alternate the colours if you wish.

Roll out the red and pink royal icing to 1/8 inch thick. Using small heart shaped cutters or a sharp knife, cut out a few heart shapes. If you have small letter shape cutters, you can cut out the words ‘I Love You’ or ‘Be Mine’ and using a little icing sugar mixed with water stick them onto the circular icing. Alternatively you could just sprinkle some pink edible heart decorations on top of the white icing.

Triple Treacle Chocolate Cookies

Posted on February 12, 2014 in Cookies

These treacle cookies are soft, chewy, full of chocolate and hold a hint of wonderful flavours. Chocolate is used three times within; coco powder, chocolate chips and big chocolate chunks making these perfect for chocolate lovers. To achieve the crackled appearance on top of the cookies, and to release some of the gooey melted chocolate, once removed from the oven tap the top of the cookie firmly using the back of a spoon.

Ingredients for the cookies:

110g unsalted butter, melted

1 large egg

200g brown dark sugar

100g granulated sugar

85g Black Treacle

2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

310g all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons Bicarbonate of Soda

170g dark chocolate chips

140g dark chocolate, roughly chopped into chunks

Ingredients for the Cinnamon Sugar Coating:

150g granulated sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl for about 1 minute. Allow to cool. Add the egg, brown sugar, granulated sugar, black treacle, oil, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger and salt and whisk until all combined and the batter is smooth.

Add the flour, bicarbonate of soda and stir to just incorporate. The batter will be thick.

Fold in the chocolate chips and chocolate chunks. Cover the mixing bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 180C and line two baking trays with baking parchment.

In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and stir to combine.

Using a cookie scoop, form a ball of dough and then roll through the cinnamon-sugar. Place on baking trays, spaced about 2 inches apart (to allow the cookies to spread).

Bake for about 7- 8 minutes, or until tops are just set. Try not to over bake otherwise you will lose the gooey chocolate and soft and chewy texture.

Once removed from the oven, gently tap the top of the cookies with the back of a spoon to flatten them. This will create the crackled appearance and allow some of the melted chocolate to ooze out.