Millionaire's Shortbread

These bring back memories from when I was a kid as one of my my neighbours used to make them. A really naughty treat to sit back enjoy with a cuppa.

Recipe

Makes 16

Ingredients

240g plain flour

90g caster sugar

220g unsalted butter, cubed

1 tin of condensed milk (379g)

100g soft light brown sugar

2 tbsp golden syrup

100g unsalted butter

175g milk chocolate

50g white chocolate

• Preheat the oven to 180C or gas mark 4 and grease a 23cm square tin.
• Put the 220g butter, flour and caster sugar in a food processor and mix until the mixture is like fine breadcrumbs. Tip into your greased tin and press down. Prick surface with a fork and chill for about 20 minutes. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until just golden. Leave to cool.
• Put the condensed milk, soft light brown sugar, syrup and 100g butter in a pan and heat until boiling. Continue to boil for about 5 minutes, stirring all the time until mixture is thickened. Pour the caramel on top of the shortbread and leave to cool for at least 30 minutes.
• Break the chocolate into pieces in two seperate bowls and melt over a pan of simmering water. Firstly pour the milk chocolate over the caramel and spead to cover completely. Pour over the white chocolate and then using a skewer, swirl to achieve a marble effect. Put in the fridge to set completely before cutting into squares.

Choc-o-tastic Cupcakes

Like most women I love anything chocolatey and these cupcakes a sure way to get that chocolate hit! Thanks to The Hummingbird Bakery for the recipe.

Recipe

Makes 12

Ingredients

100g plain flour

20g cocoa powder

140g caster sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

A pinch of salt

40g unsalted butter, at room temperature

120ml whole milk

1 large egg

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Chocolate Buttercream

300g icing sugar

100g icing suagr , at room temperature

40g cocoa powder, sifted

40ml whole milk

Sprinkles to decorate

• Preheat the oven to 170C or gas mark 3 and line your tin with 12 paper cases.
• Put the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl and with an electric mixer, mix until mixture has a sandy consistancy and everything is well combined.
• Whisk the milk, egg and vanilla extract together in a jug, then slowly pour about half into the flour mixture, beat to combine and turn the mixer up to high speed to get rid of any lumps.
• Turn the mixer down to a slower speed and slowly pour in the remaining milk mixture (scrape any unmixed ingredients from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula.) Continue mixing for a couple more minutes until the mixture is smooth. Do not over mix.
• Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until two-thirds full and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the sponge bounces back when touched. Leave the cupcakes to cool slightly in a tray before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely before icing.
• Put the icing sugar, butter and cocoa powder in a large bowl or food processor and mix well. Add the milk and slowly beat again until well mixed. Continue beating on a higher speed for a few minutes until the buttercream is light and fluffy.
• Spread or pipe icing on top of each cake and decorate with the sprinkles.

Vegetable Samosas

For my 40th birthday last year my husband treated me to a one day Hot & Spicy workshop at the The Cordon Vert Cookery School. http://www.seedlingshowcase.com/cv08/cv.aspx
I had a fantastic day learning all about and cooking with chillies and spices and got to work in a professional kitchen which was a big thrill!!
This is one of the recipes that we learnt to cook and because you use filo pastry they are not as fattening as the traditional samosas.

Recipe 

Makes 16 small samosas

Ingredients
1 tsp cumin seeds
3tsp coriander seeds
1tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp oil
225g onion, chopped finely
2 cloves garlic, crushed
225g potato, cooked and diced
50g mung beans, soaked and cooked (100g cooked weight) or lentils
50g peas
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1/2 lemon, juice only
Seasoning
225g filo pastry
50g butter

• Preheat oven to 200C or gas mark 6.
• Dry roast cumin seeds, coriander seeds and mustard seeds. Grind them together with the turmeric, ground cumin and cayenne pepper.
• Fry the onion until softened but not browned. Add all the spices and fry for 1-2 minutes. Add garlic and fry for 1 more minute.
• Add potato and mung beans and peas and fry for another 1-2 minutes.
• Add ginger and lemon juice and season to taste. Cool.
• Cut the filo pastry into 5 cm strips. Melt butter. Take two of the strips of pastry and brush one of them with melted butter. Always cover the rest of the pastry that is not in use with cling film to prevent it from drying out.Then cover with the other strip.
• Put a small spoonful of filling at one end of the strip and fold up in triangles to make a samosa shape.

 

• Place on a baking tray and brush with melted butter. Repeat until all the filo pastry is used.
• Bake in a preheated oven for about 10-15 minutes until golden.

Raspberry & White Chocolate Muffins

This is a great mix of flavours and works well with frozen as well as fresh raspberries.

 

Recipe

Makes 12

Ingredients

400g self raising flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

100g white chocolate, chopped

100g raspberries

175g caster sugar

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

175ml sunflower oil

175ml semi-skimmed milk

• Preheat the oven to 190C or gas mark 5 and line a muffin tin with 12 muffin cases or you can make your own. Spray your muffin tin with oil and cut 12 squares out of grease proof paper. Push a square down into each muffin hole.
• Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl then mix in half of the chocolate, sugar and the raspberries. 
• Lightly whisk the eggs, oil and milk in a large jug until combined. Pour into the dry ingredients and mix briefly with a large metal spoon until everything is just combined.
• Divide the mixture between the muffin cases and sprinkle with the remaining chocolate and a few raspberries before baking.
• Bake for 25 minutes until well risen. Leave to cool ion the muffin tin for a couple of minutes then remove and cool on a wire rack.

Chocolate Daisy Cupcakes

I made these cakes for my mother-in-law's birthday, using a recipe from the Primrose Bakery's cook book. They are really light and moist and went down very well!! You can choose whatever colour and flavour buttercream you want to use. I used vanilla with pink food colouring to make them look a little more girlie!

Recipe

Makes 16

Ingredients

115g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)

85g unsalted butter, at room temperature

175g soft brown sugar

2 large eggs,free range, separated

185g plain flour, sifted

3/4 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Pinch of salt

250ml semi skimmed milk, at room temperature

1 tsp good quality vanilla extract

Vanilla Buttercream

110g unsalted butter, at room temperature

60ml semi-skimmed milk, at room temperature

1 tsp good quality vanilla extract

500g icing sugar, sifted

Few drops food colouring

12 icing daisies, (I made my own but you could always buy them ready made)

• Preheat the oven to 190C or gas mark 5 and line a couple of 12 hole muffin trays with 16 paper cases.
• Break the chocolate into pieces in a basin and melt over a pan of simmering water. Stir until it has completely melted and is quite smooth. Leave to cool slightly.
• In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar until the mixture is pale and smooth, which should take 3-5 minutes using an electric mixer. In a separate bowl and with clean beaters, beat the egg yolks for several minutes. Slowly add the egg yolks to the creamed mixture and beat well. Add the melted chocolate and again beat well.
• Combine the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a separate bowl. Put the milk in a jug with the vanilla extract. Add one third of the flour to the chocolate mixture and beat well. Pour in one third of the milk and beat again. Repeat these steps until all the flour and milk have been added. In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks start to form. Carefully fold the egg whites into the batter using metal spoon. Do not beat or you will take all the air out of the mixture.
• Carefully spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases, filling them to about two-thirds full. This is a fairly liquid batter, so take care when spooning out as it can end up being very messy. Alternatively, pour the batter into a jug to make it easier.
• Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes. To check they are cooked , insert a skewer in the centre of one of the cakes-it should come out clean. Leave the cakes in the tins for about 10 minutes before carefully placing on a wire rack to cool. Once they are completely cool, ice the cakes.
• In a large mixing bowl (I used a food processor) beat the butter, milk, vanilla extract and half the icing sugar until smooth. Gradually add the remainder of the icing sugar and beat again until the buttercream is smooth and creamy.
• If you want to add colour to your buttercream, always start with one drop of colouring and beat thoroughly. Add carefully drop by drop until you build up your desired shade.
• Pipe an icing swirl on top of each of the cakes and decorate with an icing daisy. I then used decorative cupcake wrappers for an attractive finish.
  

 

Gluten Free Pear and Almond Muffins

I have had a few people ask me recently for gluten or wheat free recipes. This recipe is free from both and is easy to make.

Recipe
Makes 12

Ingredients
200g gluten and wheat free self raising flour
200g ground almonds
2tsp gluten free baking powder
175g caster sugar
200ml sunflower oil
200ml milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
200g peeled, coredand chopped pear
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Handful of flaked almonds for decoration

• Preheat the oven to 190C or gas mark 5 and line a muffin tray with 12 muffin cases.
• Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl and stir in the ground almonds.
• Lightly whisk the eggs, oil and milk in a jug until combined and then add to the dry ingrdients. Mix briefly with a large wooden spoon then add the pear and vanilla extract. Mix again until everything is just mixed together.
• Spoon mixture into the muffin cases and sprinkle over the flaked almonds before baking.
• Bake in the oven for 25 minutes until well risen. Leave to cool in the muffin tray for a few minutes before transfering to a wire rack to cool.

Raspberry Cupcakes

These cakes are make with raspberry jam but I suppose you could use any jam of your choice. Hubbie reckons they are the best cakes I have ever made!!!

Recipe

Makes 12

Ingredients

110g unsalted butter, at room temperature

180g golden caster sugar

2 large eggs

125g self raising flour, sifted

120g plain flour, sifted

125 ml semi-skimmed milk, at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 tbsp seedless raspberry jam

To Decorate

1 tsp raspberry jam, 1 for each cake, warmed slightly

250g icing sugar, sifted

80g unsalted butter, at room temperature

25ml milk

a few drops vanilla extract

12 raspberries

• Preheat oven to 180C or gas mark 4 and line a bun tray with 12 paper cases.
• In a large mixing bowl cream the butter and sugar until pale and smooth with an electric mixer. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing for a few minutes after each addition.
• Combine the two flours in a seperate bowl. Put the milk in a jug and add the vanilla extract to it. Add one third of the flours to the creamed mixture and beat well. Pour in one third of the milk and beat again. Repeat these steps until all the flour and milk have been added.
• Gently fold in the raspberry jam until most of it is combined.  You just want to have a few jam steaks running through the mixture. Carefully spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until slightly raised and golden brown.
• Remove from oven and leave cakes in the tin for about 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.
• Beat the icing sugar and butter together in a food processor or with an electric mixer. Add the vanilla extract to the milk and add to the creamed mixture a little at a time until all is completely mixed in. Continue beating for a little longer as icing will become fluffier.
• Once the cakes have cooled , cut a small hole in the centre of each cake using a sharp knife and fill will a teaspoon of jam.
• Ice the cakes with the buttercream and decorate with fresh raspberries.