Treat - Devil's Food Cake

This is so moreish and moist and chocolatey, it is my favourite chocolate cake. I used to make this for me and my housemates when I lived in York, to help us all get through final year, and I think it helped us all get our degrees! You're welcome guys! ;p It is seriously yummy, thank God for Nigella. You can find the cake recipe here. I used chocolate buttercream instead of the chocolate ganache because it was easier and I was feeling lazy, but it is still super yummy :)

Dinner - Lemon and Thyme butter basted roast Chicken and gravy

BBC Good Food pic

My Pic :)

For once, I actually just followed the recipe for this one! Absolutely amazing, it even got my brother to like carrotts! Now it is our Sunday dinner staple :) You can find the recipe here

And for Yorkshire Puddings here

Lunch/Dinner Winter Salad with Melting Camembert

This is a combination of roasted potato, pear, carrot and red pepper with melting Camembert cheese and spinich :) It was inspired by the salade d'hiver avec une mouse au fromage de chevre from The Little Paris Kitchen cookbook by Rachel Khoo, and it is absolutely gorgeous. I love how colourful this meal is, and how the textures and flavours all mix together so well. I sometimes find it hard to get my 5 a day in winter, and this certainly helps! You can also use a mix of seasonal fruits and veg so it is very convenient.

Serves 1

1/2 carrot, peeled
1/4 red pepper
1 small potato, peeled
Handful of spinach leaves
A few slices of Camembert
1/2 pear

Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees C
Chop the carrot, pepper, potato and pear into 1inch chunks
Put into a baking tray and cover with vegetable oil
Bake for 30mins
Arrange in a bowl and add the slices of Camembert and spinach. This will wilt the spinach and melt the Camembert a little.

Enjoy!

Snack - Passionettes

Carrot, apple and walnut muffins with a whipped cream cream topping

Makes 12

150g butter, melted
100g soft light brown sugar
115g grated carrot
50g grated apple
pinch of salt
1/2tsp cinnamon
1/2tsp nutmeg
1/2tsp ginger
2 eggs
100g self raising flour
100g wholemeal plain flour
3tsp baking powder
100g walnuts, roughly chopped
whipping cream, walnut halves and cocoa powder to serve

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C
Line a 12 hole muffin tray with paper cases
Beat the butter, sugar, carrots, apples, salt, spice and eggs together
Fold in the flour, baking powder and walnuts
Fill the paper cases
Bake for 20mins
Serve with a dollop of whipped cream, a walnut half and dusted with cocoa powder

Enjoy!

Mother's Day Afternoon Tea

I decided to make Mum an afternoon tea for Mother's Day and she really enjoyed it :) It turned out really well so I think it might turn into a yearly tradition :)

In addition to tea shortbread and chocolate digestives, I made Soft Cheese Cupcakes and Cream Tea Cupcakes, which went down very well :)

Soft Cheese Cupcakes

Makes 12

140g softened butter
185g caster sugar
3 eggs
15ml lemon juice
140g cream cheese
20ml milk
200g self-raising flour

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees C
Line a cupcake tray with paper cases
Beat the butter and sugar together
Beat in the eggs
Beat in the lemon juice, cream cheese, and milk
Lightly fold in the flour
Spoon the cake mixture into the cases
Bake for 25mins
Leave to cool


Cream Tea Cupcakes

Makes 10

85g softened butter
85g caster sugar
1/2tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg, beaten
85g self-raising flour
1tbsp milk

Jam and whipped or clottted cream for serving

Pre-heat the oven to 190 degrees C
Line a cupcake tray with cases
Beat the butter sugar and vanilla extract together
Beat in the egg
Fold in the flour
Fold in the milk
Spoon the mix into the paper cases
Bake for 15-20mins
Leave to cool
Serve with jam and cream 

Enjoy!

Snack - Oat and Chocolate Chip Muffins

This is adapted from the Oat and Raisin Muffins recipe in the gorgeous Cupcakes book by Carol Pastor. I had a few chocolate chips left over from my brother's birthday cake so I thought they would be a yummy addition to this recipe.

Makes 12

85g rolled oats
250ml milk
120g butter, softened
100g dark brown sugar
1 egg
115g plain flour
1tsp baking powder
1/2tsp bicarbonate of soda
30g chocolate chips

In a large bowl, combine the oats and milk and leave to soak for 1 hour
Pre-heat the oven to 180 degree C
Line a muffin tray with paper cases
Cream the butter and sugar together with an electric whisk
Beat in the egg
Combine the flour, Bicarbonate of soda and baking powder
Add the oat mixture and the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix gently
Fold in the chocolate chips
Fill 2/3 of each paper case with the mixture
Bake for 25-30 mins
Leave to cool slightly

Enjoy!

Birthday Treat - Fudge and Chocolate Brownie Cake

It's my brother's birthday tomorrow, so I have made him a delicious and indulgent fudge and chocolate brownie cake. It is based upon bbc good food's chocolate brownie cake, and adding the fudge was his request. It is very rich and delicious, perfect with cream as a birthday desert :)

Serves 10

100g butter
175g caster sugar
75g dark brown soft sugar
125g plain chocolate
1tbsp honey
2 eggs
100g plain flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
2tbsp cocoa powder
100g chocolate chips
100g fudge

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees C
Line a baking tin with greaseproof paper
Melt the butter, sugars, chocolate and honey together n a large pan over a medium heat, stirring every so often
Once melted, leave to cool
Meanwhile, combine the flour, cocoa and baking powder
Chop up the fudge into tiny pieces
Add one egg to the mixture and mix thourghly
Add half the flour mix and fold in
Add the second egg and mix
Add the rest of the flour and fold in, the mixture will be quite thick
Spoon into the baking tin
Sprinkle over the chocolate chips and the fudge pieces
Cover with foil to keep the topping from burning
Bake for 30 mins

Enjoy!