Strawberry and White Chocolate Cupcakes

Strawberry and white chocolate, what a wonderful combination. Definitely one of my favourites ( I think I must say this for most of my recipes, but its all just SO good!)

Anyway, I was going to a picnic today and decided to bring along some baking goodies, this is what I put together.

Containing white chocolate and strawberry's you would think these cupcakes where sweet enough, but I just had to add a sprinkle of glitter and flowers to match. (it is a girly picnic after all.)
Totally optional of course! but arn't they pretty...

Ingredients-

• 180g unsalted butter
• 180g caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 180g self raising flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the frosting-

• 150g white chocolate
• 150g cream cheese
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter 
• 4 tbsp icing sugar
• 12 tsp strawberry preserves

Preheat your oven to 180c and line a muffin tray with 10 cases.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition, adding the vanilla extract in with the second.

Sift in the flour and baking powder and gently fold together with a metal spoon.

Divide the mixture between the 12 cases and place into the oven for 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool completely on a cooling rack.

Now for the frosting, melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30 second bursts, being careful not to burn it.

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese to soften, then beat in the butter and icing sugar.

Once the white chocolate has cooled down a bit you can mix this into the cream cheese mixture. (I put my frosting into the fridge for 20 minutes before using, it thickens up a bit making it easier to pipe/spread.)

When your cupcakes have cooled down, cut out a small hole in each one and fill with the strawberry preserves. Place the cut out parts back on top, so it covers the strawberry.

Fill a piping bag (or you can just spread it on) with the cream cheese frosting and pipe onto your cakes. 

I used a 1m wilton tip.

You can leave them as they are (which is still delicious) or add on some decorations of your choice!

Healthy (ish) Oatmeal Cookies

My usual recipes are so full of sugar and 'bad' for you things I decided to try my hand at a healthier version of oatmeal cookies. I basically made this recipe up and just went for it, and they came out pretty good!
There is less sugar then the usual cookie and no butter so really, they must be healthier?

The addition of raisins and white chocolate chips add a sweetness, and the natural yoghurt binds the ingredients together along with the egg.

These are not the most 'attractive' looking cookies but we can all overlook that due to them being healthy right? ;)

Ingredients-

• 100g plain flour
• 90g caster sugar
• 100g rolled porridge oats
• 50g raisins
• 50g chocolate chips ( I used white)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 50g natural yoghurt
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg

Makes 12.

Preheat your oven to 200c and line a baking tray with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl mix together your dry ingredients, set aside.

In a large bowl beat together the yoghurt, vanilla extract and the egg. 

To this, gradually add the dry ingredients till it becomes a sticky dough.

As the mixture is quite sticky, just drop tablespoon sized balls of it onto your baking sheet.

Place into the oven for 10-12 minutes, then leave to cool on a cooling rack.

Simple Homemade Icecream

So its sunny in Kent today, which means I am craving ice cream. Seriously, every time the sun decides to peek out behind those grey clouds I have the urge to reach for the freezer or track down an ice cream van. That tune the ice cream man plays when he comes around my way is music to my ears and I'm like a pug I know that as soon as he hears the word 'treat', goes mad for it!

Anyway, I wanted to try my hand at making my own creamy delight but without using an ice cream machine. (simply because I don't own one).

Ingredients-

• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 70g caster sugar
• 150ml double cream
• 1 tbsp golden syrup

This makes a small tub, but you can always double up!

Start by separating the eggs and in a medium bowl beat the egg yolks with the vanilla extract until light and foamy.

In a separate bowl beat the egg whites until soft peaks form and then by tablespoon, add the caster sugar until you have thick, glossy peaks.

In a large bowl beat the cream until soft peaks. Then to the cream add the egg yolk mixture and egg white mixture. Fold together until just mixed. Add the golden syrup and gently mix in to create ribbons of syrup. (this is completely optional but adds an extra dimension of flavour to the ice cream.)

Now pour into a freezable tub (I used a lunch box) and place into the freezer for at least 8 hours.
Take it out of the freezer for 10 minutes before serving.

Remember its raw eggs so not suitable for you pregnant ladies!

Said pug! (Jax)

Vanilla and Caramel Cheesecake

Here I am again with another devilishly naughty dessert. Cheesecake really is one of my favourite things to eat ever! Any flavour is good by me. I also have a special love for caramel. I could honestly eat it out of the tin with a spoon. (I havent though...honest.)

So I decided why not combine some of my two favourite things and this delight was made.

Unfortunately, I didnt get any photos of the cheesecake as it was made for a dinner party, as soon as I took it out of the pan I served it up and forgot to take pictures! I only remembered once it had been finished, which must of meant it was really good ;)

Ingredients:

Cheesecake-

• 250g digestive biscuits
• 80g unsalted butter (melted)
• 500g cream cheese - this must be full fat as it will not set otherwise!
• 150ml double/whipping cream
• 4tbsp icing sugar
• 2tsp vanilla extract
• 300g caramel/dulce de leche

Decoration-

• milk and white chocolate shavings

You're best to use a spring form pan for this, as otherwise you wont be able to actually remove the cheesecake from the pan and it will be tricky to a get nice slice out of it.

To make the base, place the biscuits into a zip lock bag and literally bash to pieces with a rolling pin, until its mainly crumbs. Add this to a large bowl and mix in the melted butter.

Pour into your pan, press down with the back of a spoon and place into the fridge.

In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese,icing sugar and vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl whisk the cream until soft peaks form then fold into the cream cheese mixture.
Get your biscuit base back out of the fridge and spread a nice layer of caramel on top. (yum)

Over the caramel pour on the cream cheese mixture. Then pop back into the fridge to set for at least 4 hours, better still overnight!

For the finishing touch I grated over some milk and white chocolate. Beautiful.

My Nieces First Birthday - Castle Cake

Ive just got a short post to share today, which is a bit different to my usual, as it wont be a recipe.
But it will be some photos of the lovely cake that I made! I am very proud at my first attempt at this sorta thing (specially as it took me most of the day.)

For my nieces first birthday, I decided to do a very special cake for her, a castle cake!

And here it is! not the most 'fancy' cake ive made, but what one year old wants fancy eh?

The trickiest part was actually putting fondant onto the 'turrets'. It was quite fiddly but I found the best way of getting the fondant to stay onto the cardboard (as I used kitchen roll!) was a bit of apricot jam.

So yes, it was time consuming but all worth it for the smile on my adorable niece's face!

Till next time (promise it will be a recipe for something delicious) ;)

Amaretto and Chocolate Cupcakes

I havent posted in a while so I thought I would make this bake as naughty as possible. Amaretto cupcakes with a rich chocolatey frosting. Delicious.
The amaretto makes the sponge have a sweet almond taste and the cream cheese chocolate frosting just compliments it perfectly. It really is a match made in heaven. Chocolate heaven.
This is definately one to try, dont worry about the alcohol either as it cooks out in the oven.

Ingredients:
For the cupcakes-

• 180g unsalted butter
• 180g caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 30ml amaretto (I used a small shot glass full)
• 180g self raising flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder

For the frosting-

• 200g milk chocolate
• 200g cream cheese
• 4 tbsp icing sugar

Makes 12 large cupcakes.

Preheat your oven to 180c and line a baking tray with cupcake liners.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs one at a time beating after each addiction. Pour in the amaretto and mix together.
Sift in the flour and baking powder, and gently fold into the mixture.

Divide the mixture into each cupcake liner and place into the oven for 15-18 minutes.

Once baked (test with a toothpick in the centre of the cupcake, if it comes out dry, they're done)
Place them on a cooling rack to cool completely.

For the frosting, melt the chocolate in the microwave, stirring after every 30 seconds, until melted completely.
In a medium bowl, beat your cream cheese with the icing sugar (slowely add the icing sugar as it will fly everywhere otherwise) Then slowely add in the melted chocolate and beat until combined.
Place this in the fridge for about 15 minutes, so it firms up enough to pipe.

Fill a piping bag and pipe onto each cupcake. I used a wilton 1M tip.
Then I grated over some white chocolate for extra decoration, but thats totally optional!

Mini Raspberry Pavlova

For the past week, England have been having some nice (ish) weather. A bit of sun always encourages me to make a summery dessert, and a pavlova definately is just that. Light, chewy and sweet these little treats are simple to make but look impressive.

Ingredients:
Makes 4-

• 2 egg whites
• 100g caster sugar
• 150ml double/whipping cream
• 350g/ 1 punnet raspberries (I thawed out some frozen ones)

Preheat your oven to 110c and line a baking tray with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric whisk until stiff peaks form, then by tablespoon gradually add the caster sugar until the mixture is thick and glossy.

Now spoon 4 dollops onto the baking tray and place into the oven for 40 minutes.
Whilst they're in the oven, whip up the cream to soft peaks (be careful not to over whip.)

After the 40 minutes, switch the oven off and leave the meringues in there for 5 minutes.

Now you just need to assemble your pavlovas. Dollop some cream on top of each, followed by a tablespoon (or however many you like) of raspberries. Beautiful!