Giant Black Forest Cake

Okay, today's challenge was to make a giant Black Forest cake and I tell you what, I have absolutely smashed it, if I do say so myself! It is delicious and looks massive and over the top, so for me this couldn't be any more of a success. 

My boyfriend was also pretty chuffed that he gets to take a good chunk of this to take into work tomorrow. Obviously I cheekily made out I slaved over this cake all day but I tell you what it's simple and a real crowd pleaser!!

Ingredients

300g Self Raising Flour

300g Granulated Sugar

300g unsalted Butter

4 Eggs

4 tbsp. Milk

1 tsp. Baking Powder

1 tsp. Vanilla Essence

5 tbsp. Cocoa Powder

5 cups of mixed frozen forest fruits (defrosted)

600ml Double Cream

200g Icing Sugar

5 tbsp. of Raspberry Jam

Method

1. Start by cracking all of the eggs in the mixing bowl and whisking for 3-4 minutes until double in size. Then pour into a jug and set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 180oc and prepare 2 tins with greaseproof paper
3. In the mixing bowl whisk the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, then gradually add the eggs in, vanilla essence and the baking soda.
4. Gradually add the flour and cocoa in to the mixture, then add the milk.
5. Divide the mixtures between the two tins, smooth and place in the oven for 25-30 minutes. Use a cocktail stick or a knife to check the sponges are cooked. Do NOT over cook!
6. Once the sponges are cool: whip the double cream and add the icing sugar.
7. Spoon the jam into a bowl and mix to loosen.
8. Spread the jam onto the bottom sponge, spoon half of the cream and 3 cuts of fruit, then place the second sponge on top.
9. Dollop the remainder of Cream and Fruits on top to finish.

No-Bake Healthy Brownies

I am obsessed with this reciepe, it is amazing!

I am on a health kick at the moment, I can currently on a Ketogenic Eating Plan, which is basically a carb free/sugar free diet. However I am having massive chcocolate cravings, which is hardly surprising as I do have such a sweet tooth. I can across a reciepe, which gave me an idea for this one. It was a recipe for no-bake flapjacks, and as much as I like flapjacks, I love a brownie, as you can tell from the amount of brownie recipes I have on here!

Anyway, I have fiddled and brewed up the perfect recipe, for healthy, dairy free, gluten free, Paleo and Keto, no-bake brownies! 

I must mention, they are freezable so if you don't think you'll manage them all at once then you can freeze them! Happy days!

Ingredients 

2 1/2 cups Sultanas

1 1/2 cups flaked almonds

1/2 cup salted peanuts

10 tbsp cocoa powder

2 tbsp water

1/4 cup honey

2 tbsp vegetable oil 

4 tsp vanilla 

Method

1. Arm yourself with a food processor: whizz the sultanas, almonds, 6 tbsp cocoa, 3 tsp vanilla, 2 tbsp water, the ingredients will be sticky and clumpy, but don't worry, it's meant to look like that!

2. Prep a tin with cling film: I use a loaf tin, then flatten the mixture into the tin, press hard to flatten, then place in the fridge.

3. In a bowl, mix the 4 tbsp. cocoa, 1. Tap. Vanilla, honey and oil, until combined. Pour over the base of the brownies, then place back in the fridge for 2-3 hours. 

4. Slice to serve.

Easter Treats: Peanut Butter Chocolate Slab

Happy Easter to all! Last year I had the ingenious idea of buying a plain Easter egg, which I carefully split into two, filled with peanut butter and nuts, I then stuck it back together, wrapped it up and gave it to the other half for Easter. Peanut butter and chocolate is his favourite, however it was a little bish bash bosh, so this year I wanted to top that! It was delicious so I had to think carefully about how I was going to create something delicious and visually impressive. I did some research and I must say, the chocolate bark and slab ideas just look amazing and it is so nice to give someone something home made for any occasion, so I thought I would give it a go. I had to get mini eggs on board as my boyfriend loves them, which was easy enough as they are everywhere, obviously, right now. I made a cute little label, got some ribbon, made it look cute and lovely and boom, he's happy and munching on it right now! Give it a go, make a homemade chocolate treat this Easter, or perhaps for your next occasion- they look really impressive and these chocolate slabs allow you to get creative and use as many or as little ingredients as you desire, all you really need is chocolate to melt and you're half way there!!

Ingredients 

250g Milk Chocolate

250g Dark Chocolate

4 tbsp. Smooth Peanut Butter

Small pack of Milk Buttons

Medium bag of Mini Eggs

Method

1. Prepare a round cake tin with cling film and lightly butter it to avoid any sticking.

2. Break up the chocolate, keep them in separate bowls. I melt mine in the microwave but you can melt it on the job if you prefer.

3. Pour the dark chocolate into the Tim, then the milk, use a spoon to marble the two.

4. Place the peanut butter in a small bowl and melt slightly. Pour on top of the chocolate and marble with a spoon.

5. Leave to stand for a couple of minutes . Put the buttons and the mini eggs into a food bag and bash with a rolling pin.

6. Scatter the buttons and eggs over the chocolate, then place in the fridge for 2-3 hours.

Get creative!! Enjoy!

3 Ingredient Ice-Cream

This recipe is absolutely amazing, its so easy, so quick, inexpensive and absolutely delicious. I am an absolute ice-cream monster, I love it, and I love ice-cream which has big bits of stuff in it (you know what I mean). I love Ben & Jerry's Ice-Cream, as they are so delicious, with lots of yummy brownies and cookies inside, however, now I have discovered this recipe, I have been experimenting my hear tout and trust me once you've made it once, you'll never buy any again!
The best thing about this recipe is that it can be any flavour you want, you could have 5 different flavours running through your ice-cream. I really cant rave about it enough.
This recipe was shown on Saturday Kitchen, by James Martin: I almost didn't try it- im so glad I did!

Ingredients

600ml Double Cream

8 tbsp. Honey

100g Icing Sugar

Filling Ingredients: I used Peanut M&M's but you can literally use anything.

Method

1. Pour the cream into a bowl and using an electric whisk, thicken the cream for 1 minute.
2. Add the honey to the bowl and whisk for another minute.
3. Add the icing sugar and your filling of choice and combine.
4. Pour into a Tupperware box and place in the freezer to harden for 3-4 hours.

You can add flavours to your ice-cream, such as vanilla or even swirl into some peanut butter!

Have fun with this recipe.

Pesto, Parma Ham & Mozzarella Pizza

It was pizza night once again on Friday Evening. This time however, we decided we would channel our longing to visit Italy, into a delicious Friday Night Dinner. I must say, these ingredients and flavours are pretty much perfect when they are sat on top of a crispy, doughy base- Divine!

Ingredients

2 cups strong white bread flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 cup Olive Oil

2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 cup warm water

1 Small Tin Tomato Puree
1 Small Jar Green Pesto
5 Slices of Parma Ham
1 Mozzarella Ball
Handful of Spinach

Method

Start by making the dough: place the flour in a mixing bowl, add the salt and the baking powder and mix.

Gradually add the water to the bowl, then add the oil.

Flour the work surface, then turn the dough out and knead for 5 minutes.

Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough to a 0.5cm thickness. Place a dinner plate upside down over the dough and press down. The circular outline will have been transferred to the dough and you can now assemble the round shape.

Transfer to a pizza tray and bake in the oven at 200oc for 8 minutes.

Now to prepare the toppings: place a frying pan on a medium heat. Add a little oil to the pan and fry the bacon pieces with the chopped spring onions and the crushed garlic, once the bacon has brown set to one side.

Once the base has been part baked, dollop amount desired of tomato puree in the middle of the base and using a spatula spread the puree onto the base, ensuring you don't go right up to the edge of the pizza, leave a 1cm gap..

Arrange the meat and cheese onto the base, then dollop the desired amount of pesto in blobs onto the pizza. Give a sprinkling of parmesan for added flavour

Place in the oven for 12 minutes.

Once removed from the oven, place a handful of spinach on top of the pizza and serve.

Enjoy!

Giant Victoria Sponge Cake

Easter is approaching, so if that isn't a good enough excuse to start baking excess amounts of cakes and chocolatey things, I don't know what is! My mum told me yesterday that she was in desperate need for a good, moist, sweet and large slice of cake, she had been raving for days. She also told me that rather than buying her an Easter Egg this year, a giant Victoria Sponge would more than suffice!
Obviously I have the perfct recpe to prodce this for her, I must say, this recipe is one which I adore, it is also a recipe which can be transformed into a chocolate sponge by simply adding 3 tbsp. of cocoa powder! This cake is incredibly soft, mosit, and large. The rise is really good on this cake, its also one which is incredibly easy to make I find, as the ingredient measurements are all pretty much the same, easy to remember as well as being an easy method. This cake is a one bowl wonder, however I would advise that you use an electric whisk in order to combine all ingredients. You can fill the cake with butter cream or fresh cream, I tend to stick to fresh cream as with this type of cake I prefer it.

Ingredients

300g Self Raising Flour

300g Granulated Sugar

300g unsalted Butter

4 Eggs

4 tbsp. Milk

1 tsp. Baking Powder

1 tsp. Vanilla Essence

300ml Double Cream

200g Icing Sugar

1 Jar of Raspberry Jam

Method

1. Start by cracking all of the eggs in the mixing bowl and whisking for 3-4 minutes until double in size. Then pour into a jug and set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 180oc and prepare 2 tins with greaseproof paper
3. In the mixing bowl whisk the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, then gradually add the eggs in, vanilla essence and the baking soda.
4. Gradually add the flour in to the mixture, then add the milk.
5. Divide the mixtures between the two tins, smooth and place in the oven for 25-30 minutes. Use a cocktail stick or a knife to check the sponges are cooked. Do NOT over cook!
6. Once the sponges are cool: whip the double cream and add the icing sugar.
7. Spoon the desired amount of jam into a bowl and mix to loosen.
8. Spread the jam onto the bottom sponge, spoon on the cream, then place the second sponge on top.
9. Dust icing sugar on top to finish.

Gluten Free Healthy Cake Cookies

At the moment I have trying a ketosis diet, which cleanses you of sugar and carbs and ultimately leaves you feeling cleansed and healthy however my sweet cravings are coming out and I need something sweet and chocolatey! Now lest me tell you, this reciepe has well and truly hit the spot, and I feel much better with cravings at bay!

Another plus for this reciepe is that fact it only requires 3 ingredients, good for your diet as well as good for the bank and your time.

This recipe only requires a blender or food proccessor, another plus! It's all done in one device, then all you need to do is spoon it out on to the pan and bake! 

All round simple!

Ingredients 

3 ripe bananas

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup cocoa powder

Sprinkle of sea salt (optional)

Method

Preheat the oven to 200oc

Prepare a baking tray with greaseproof paper

Load the bananas into the food proccessor and whizz into a purée.

Add the peanut butter bad whizz again.

Add the cocoa powder, whizz again.

Spoon the mix in tablespoons onto the tray, flatten with a fork.

Place in the oven for 10 minutes.

Enjoy!

4 Ingredient Chocolate Muffins

If you hadn't guessed already, my baking is totally experimental and I really enjoy testing different theories and recipes. When I found this recipe, it was amongst my research of gluten free baking recipes. However this recipe is totally golden and the result is amazing. When I found the recipe it was a 3 ingredient Muffin recipe, however I added an additional ingredient and quite frankly I am glad I did. This recipe is also very easy, and quick in terms of time, so if time is a lacking and you want a healthier cake then this one is for you. These muffins also have a bonus of being better for you than regular cake as the sugar is lower and there is no flour or gluten.

One thing t note about this recipe, is due to the lack of rising agents and flour in the recipe, therefore when you fill the cupcake cases to be baked you need to fill them 3/4 of the way up. The recipe only makes 8 Muffins, however you can always double the recipe if you need too.

Ingredients

1/2 cup Nutella

1/4 cup cocoa powder

4 eggs

100g dark chocolate chips

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 200oc and line a cupcake tin with 8 cases.
2. In a large mixing bowl, mix the eggs with an electric whisk for 2-3 minutes.
3. Gradually add the cocoa powder until smooth, then add the Nutella until well combined.
4. Pour into the cases. 3/4 of the way full.
5. Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until firm on top. 

These cupcakes are divine- but be careful not to over bake as they are gorgeously moist, but if over-baked they will be very dry.

Enjoy! 

Marshmallow & Creme Egg Cupcakes

One of my colleagues is leaving today (sad times) so I thought it only too appropriate to make sure I bring something sweet and scrumptious in to work this morning in order to soften to terrible blow.

Easter is approaching and fast, so with the temptation of Crème Eggs and Easter Eggs absolutely everywhere I had to get some, and instead of eating them I baked them, perfect.

I must warn you, a lot of prep can go into these cupcakes but they are delicious, and they allow you to be creative with decoration that's for sure. I stuck to yellow icing, but I dusted with cocoa powder and gave a drizzle of caramel dessert sauce-not that they need sweetening but they look good!

Ingredients

Cake:

2 bags of mini crème eggs

4 oz Self Raising Flour

4 oz Caster Sugar

4 oz Unsalted Butter

1 tsp. baking powder

2 tbsp. cocoa powder

1 tbsp. Vanilla Extract

2 Eggs

Icing:

500g Icing Sugar

6 oz Unsalted Butter

Yellow Food Colouring

300g Marshmallows Melted

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

Splash of Milk

Method

Preheat the oven to 200oc and prepare a cupcake tray with cupcake cases.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugar until fluffy. Gradually add one egg at a time and combine well.

Gradually add the flour, cocoa powder, vanilla essence and baking powder.
Divide the mixture equally into 12 cases.
Whilst they are baking unwrap 12 mini Crème Eggs.

Bake for 10 minutes, remove from the oven and poke the crème eggs into the sponge until halfway down. Place in the oven for another 7 minutes or until cooked.

For the icing, combine the butter and the sugar until fluffy, then incorporate the food colouring.
Place the marshmallows in a heat proof bowl and microwave for 45 seconds, then mix the melted marshmallows into the icing until well incorporated.

Pipe onto the cakes when cool, and decorate.

Peanut & Crunchie Bar Cupcakes

I made these last night as a treat for my boyfriend who is feeling a little under the weather at the moment but also I had a massive urge to make cupcakes. I used to make cupcakes all the time and recently I have been concentrating on other areas of baking, so I haven't really given it much attention.

However, I absolutely love Crunchie bars and they were on offer in Sainsbury's so that was my excuse I suppose. The sponge of these cupcakes was absolutely divine, however the icing is an absolute winner. This recipe incorporates my cheat icing recipe, basically this icing is made with Nutella which adds to the already divine clear and nutty dimension of these cupcakes!

Have a go and let me know what you think!

Ingredients

4oz Self Raising Flour

40z Caster Sugar

40z Unsalted Butter (cake)

6oz Unsalted Butter (icing)

2 Eggs

1 tsp. Baking Powder

2 tbsp. Peanut Butter

3 Crunchie Bars, blitzed

2 tsp. Cocoa Powder

1 tsp. Vanilla Essence

Handful of Peanuts

500g Powdered Sugar

200g Nutella

Makes 12

Method

Preheat the oven to 200oc and prepare a cupcake tray with cupcake cases.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugar until fluffy. Gradually add one egg at a time and combine well.

Gradually add the flour, cocoa powder, vanilla essence and baking powder.

Add the peanut butter to the mix and fold in. Make sure you avoid lumps of peanut butter!

Use 2 of the Crunchie bars for the sponge, smash with a rolling pin in a food bag or use a food processor. The pieces of Crunchie need to be very fine, especially for the sponge.

Mix the mixture a final time, incorporating the Crunchie, then spoon into the cases, divide the mixture equally into 12 cases.

Bake for 15 minutes or until cooked.

For the icing, combine the butter and the sugar until fluffy, then incorporate the Nutella until smooth.

Pipe onto the cakes when cool, sprinkle with Crunchie bars and peanuts.

Banoffee Cheesecake

This recipe is so easy, I promise and absolutely delicious. A take on the classic Banoffee dessert comes by cheesecake edition. Its easy quick and a total crowd pleaser. Amazing, give it a go! The best bit of this recipe is the sneaky cheat of using angel delight to achieve the creamy banana filling which takes centre stage of this cheesecake.

Banoffee Cheesecake

Ingredients

300g digestive biscuits

50g unsalted butter, melted.

300g cream cheese

300ml double cream

1 sachet banana angel delight

50g toffee sauce

80g milk chocolate, melted

20g milk chocolate, grated

Method

Start by blitzing digestive biscuits in a food processor until they are crumbs. Add the melted butter and blitz until combined.

Prepare a tin for your cheesecake, butter the sides then fit with greaseproof paper.

Pour the crushed biscuits into the tin, then press into the tin. Place in the fridge meanwhile.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese with the angel delight sachet.

Gradually stir in the double cream until smooth.

Take the tin out of the fridge, pour about half of the cream cheese mixture into the tin and smooth down until firm and flat.

Melt the chocolate the add to the cream cheese mixture until combined.

Smooth the mixture as another layer on top of the banana layer.

To garnish add the grated chocolate and squeezing of toffee sauce.

Refrigerate for about 3 hours until firm, remove from the tin and serve.

Enjoy!

...Its Nutty Professor Granola

I'm on a health kick at the moment, as well as having a love of Granola, It is absolutely delicious with some natural yogurt or coconut yogurt, topped off with some berries, delicious. Granola, for me, is the best was of starting the day, recharging midday and a healthy alternative to dessert: you don't have to be limited to breakfast. The only problem with granola, is that it can be expensive, the reason for this, is the amount of seeds, fruits and all round super foods you can pack into granola. Less expensive options lead to a packed full of sugar, high in fat Granola, which is a shame as this can be misleading if you are trying to lead a healthier life.

...Its Nutty Professor Granola

Ingredients

200g Oats

2 tbsp. honey

1/2 cup desiccated coconut

1 tbsp. vanilla essence

1 tbsp. warmed smooth peanut butter

50g crushed peanuts

100g raisons

100g mixed nuts (walnuts, pecans, cashews)

Method

1. Begin by giving the peanuts and the mixed nuts a good blitz in a food processor or putting the nuts in a food bag and giving them a pummelling with a rolling pin, either or.
2. Weigh out the oats, add the honey, coconut and vanilla, then combine.
3. Place the peanut butter in a heat proof bowl and microwave for 1 minute on a medium heat, just to loosen it up.
4. Add the warmed peanut butter and combine.
5. Add the nuts, place on a baking tray, then placed in an oven heated at 130oc for an hour.
6. Once the granola is completely cooled, removed from the tray into a large bowl, then add raisons. Combine and store.

Serve with yogurt and mixed berries.

Enjoy

Carbonara Pizza

This recipe is one which was born Saturday night, we had a crazy craving for pizza, and my boyfriends favourite is one available from Pizza Express. It is a Carbonara pizza with an egg in the middle and he absolutely loves it, so i had a go of recreating it. So if you like pizza, Carbonara or want to learn how to make a pizza dough, then this is one for you!

Carbonara Pizza

Ingredients

2 cups strong white bread flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 cup Olive Oil

2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 cup warm water

1 jar carbonara sauce

100g bacon pieces

100g cooked chicken breast

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

300g cheddar or mozzarella, grated

4 spring onions, chopped

1 egg

Method

Start by making the dough: place the flour in a mixing bowl, add the salt and the baking powder and mix.

Gradually add the water to the bowl, then add the oil.

Flour the work surface, then turn the dough out and knead for 5 minutes.

Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough to a 0.5cm thickness. Place a dinner plate upside down over the dough and press down. The circular outline will have been transferred to the dough and you can now assemble the round shape.

Transfer to a pizza tray and bake in the oven at 200oc for 8 minutes.

Now to prepare the toppings: place a frying pan on a medium heat. Add a little oil to the pan and fry the bacon pieces with the chopped spring onions and the crushed garlic, once the bacon has brown set to one side.

Once the base has been part baked, dollop amount desired of carbonara sauce in the middle of the base and using a spatula spread the sauce onto the base, ensuring you don't go right up to the edge of the pizza, leave a 1cm gap.

Sprinkle a little cheese on top of the sauce.

Now empty the bacon mixture and arrange evening, then add the chicken and the remaining cheese.

Place in the oven for 12 minutes.

The egg is optional but if you do want the egg in the middle, after 12 minutes in the oven, crack the egg directly into the centre and place back in the oven for 4 minutes.

Enjoy!






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Chunky Chocolate Eclairs

If you haven't made choux pastry before, this recipe is a great one to get you started, or if you are a confident choux pastry baker, this is also for you, these éclairs are fancy free and super easy.

What I like about éclairs is that the are very visually pleasing, or even profiteroles can be presented to be very beautiful, but it takes a great deal of time to create identical éclairs or profiteroles. So if you don't have much time this recipe is great!

Chunky Chocolate Éclairs

Ingredient's

110g Unsalted Butter

1 cup of Plain Flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 eggs

1 cup water

500ml double cream

300g dark chocolate

Method

Begin by prepping a couple of baking trays with parchment paper.

Place the butter and the water in a medium saucepan on a medium heat, stir occasionally until the butter has melted.

Take the saucepan off the heat and gradually stir in the flour and the salt, once combined, this will create a sticky dough, turn out into a mixing bowl and allow cooling time of 5-10 minutes.

Whilst the dough is cooling, pour 200ml of the double cream into a saucepan and heat on a medium heat until it starts to boil.

Break up the dark chocolate into chunks and place in a bowl, once the cream starts to boil, pour over the chocolate and stir until the chocolate has melted and both ingredients have combined.

Once you've finished this, place the mixture to one side and go back to your dough.

Gradually add the eggs one by one to the dough, ensuring you are constantly mixing.

Preheat the oven to 200oc.

You can use a piping bag for the next part or a couple of teaspoons. Each éclair will need about a teaspoon worth of mixture, remember these éclairs are, in terms of size, between a profiterole and an éclair, make sure you give a 2 inch gap between each éclair.

Place the trays in the oven to bake for 25 minutes, prepare a cake tin with a couple of centimetres of water to place at the bottom of the oven, this will create a steamed environment in the oven ensuring a good rise on your éclairs.

Try and avoid opening the oven, until they have been in the oven for about 20 minutes.