February 22, 2014

Chocolate Chip and Oreo Cookie Squares

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.

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February 13, 2014

Valentines Vanilla 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.

 

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February 12, 2014

Triple Treacle Chocolate 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.

Leave cookies to cool on baking sheets for about 5 minutes before moving them to a rack to finish cooling.

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February 4, 2014

Nutella Swirl Peanut Butter Blondies

These blondies will definitely satisfy Nutella and peanut butter lovers. They are made from brown sugar, peanut butter and melted butter which makes them super soft, yet gooey. Milk chocolate chips are then added and Nutella is then swirled on top to not only give the blondies a great appearance but to add depth, richness, and a pop of chocolate.

This recipe is ideal, you will only use one bowl and they’ll be ready in 30minutes!

Ingredients:

110g unsalted butter, melted

1 large egg

175g light brown sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

150g plain flour

150g milk chocolate chips

1 tablespoon peanut butter

75g Nutella

Directions:

Preheat oven to 180 C. Line an 8-by-8-inch baking tin with aluminium foil and grease.

In a microwave-safe bowl melt the butter, about 1 minute on high power.

Wait a minute before adding the egg so you don’t scramble it. Add the egg, brown sugar, vanilla, and whisk until smooth.

Add the flour and stir until just combined.

Stir in the milk chocolate chip chips.

Add the peanut butter and stir until evenly dispersed.

Turn batter out into prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula.

To create the marbled pattern shown, drizzle the Nutella over the batter in three parallel lines, evenly spaced. Next rotate the pan 90 -degrees. With a toothpick, starting at the top of the pan, drag the toothpick through the Nutella 5/6 times.

Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until done. A toothpick inserted in the centre should come out clean, or with a few moist crumbs.

Allow the blondes to cool in the baking tin for about 40minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. You can then cut into squares to serve.

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