recipe \\ chocolate orange cupcakes

Apart from cinnamon and apples, and white chocolate and raspberry, I think chocolate and orange is one my favourite flavour combinations. There something silently brilliant about this pairing and I do enjoy snacking on a Terry's Chocolate Orange once in a while (especially at Christmas time!)

I had a chocolate orange loitering in my fridge unopened (yes, I keep my chocolate in the fridge, anyone else do that?) and I had a hankering to make my lovely trust chocolate cupcake recipe. Marriage made in heaven? I think so.

Ingredients
175g butter
175g soft brown sugar
3 large eggs
175g self raising flour
4tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp milk

Method
1. Cream the butter and sugar with an electric whisk until light and fluffy. Add the eggs in one at a time.
2. Sift the flour and cocoa powder into the mixture and mix well. Stir in the milk.
3. Divide into paper cases lined in a cupcake tin (this should yield around 12) and put in a preheated oven at 180 degrees celsius for around 20-25 minutes.
4. Leave to cool in the tin for around 5 minutes then transfer onto a cooling rack to cool further.

Swirl on some chocolate buttercream and carefully place a segment of chocolate orange to finish off. Admire the beauty and then devour with gusto. 

Bon appétit!

Vanessa

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recipe | chocolate cake with strawberries and cream

Who doesn't love a bit of chocolate cake every now and then? Perfect with a scoop of ice cream or drenched in single cream. The possibilities are endless! A recent trip to Dobbies inspired me to make some choccy cake because I actually haven't made choccy cake in a while. I hit up Google and found this recipe albeit with a few changes. 

Ingredients
225g butter
225g caster sugar
4 eggs
200g self raising flour
50g cocoa powder
120g melted dark chocolate
120g melted milk chocolate
120ml semi skimmed milk

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees celsius.
2. Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl.
3. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of boiling water or in the microwave.
4. Mix in the eggs one at a time making sure it  is mixed in well. If it starts to split, add a tablespoon of flour to the mix.
5. Fold in the flour, cocoa powder, melted chocolate and milk into the mixture.
6. Divide the mixture evenly between two greased cake tins. 
7. Pop into the oven for 30 minutes or until fully cooked.

For the filling, I whipped up some double cream with a little sugar to sweeten it up and sliced some strawberries. You can also put a layer of strawberry jam on one of the cakes to make it even more tasty. If you're presenting to friends and family, dust the top of the cake with a little icing sugar and you're ready to go! I would recommend keeping this in the fridge due to the cream content but leave it out for 30 minutes prior to serving.

Serve with a smile and an iced drink of your choice in the garden under the sun.

Bon appétit!

Vanessa

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recipe | korean kimbap

Recently, my friend has introduced me to a plethora of amazing Korean food. When I was in London last month, my friend showed me kimbap at Camden Market and I chowed down on some of the most delicious snack ever! But what is kimbap I hear you cry? It is sometimes referred to as 'Gimbap' and it looks like sushi but it's made with steamed/boiled rice rather than sushi rice and rolled in a sheet of dried seaweed. You can fill it with anything you like and is great for lunch or a snack. 

I've been making my own lately and experimenting with different fillings so here is how you can make your own Korean delights...

Ingredients:
1 cup of white boiled/steamed long grain rice (you can also use brown rice if you want)
Sushi nori (dried seaweed sheets)
Rolling mat
Your fillings: I'm using lettuce, seafood sticks and ham but you can use anything you like...bacon, cucumber, carrot, salmon, avocado etc.)
Mayonnaise
Sesame oil

Method:

1. Lay your dried seaweed sheet shiny side down on your rolling mat which has been wrapped in cling film. Layer the rice on top and try and make it as even as possible leaving a small gap at the top and bottom. 

2. Layer your fillings at the bottom of the sheet and pop a little mayo along the fillings.

3. Here's the tricky bit; slowly start to roll the seaweed sheet using the mat to keep it tight. Practice makes perfect so don't be down hearted if it doesn't work the first time. 

4. Using some cooked rice grains, squash them into the end of the seaweed sheet to make the end of the roll stick or you can use water.

5. Brush on a small amount of sesame oil on the roll to keep it shiny and tasty.

6. Cut into eights and serve with soy sauce for dipping or wasabi if you're feeling a little adventurous!

I watched this YouTube video to get a rough idea of how to do it first and they explain kimbap really well.

This is a little different from my traditional baking recipes but if you're a big fan of sushi then you'll love this. So healthy, filling, quick and easy to make! You can make this the night before and store in the fridge for the next day but I would cut it on the day of eating and the seaweed gets a little soggy but it's still tasty nonetheless!

Bon appétit!

Vanessa

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recipe: healthy(ish) banana oat muffins

I've been focusing a lot more on healthy eating and exercising the last week or so and I'm really noticing a difference in my energy levels. One of my big vices is snacking. At home, I'm always rummaging through the cupboards for a snack so I cut down on all my snacking but I still get the odd pang for an afternoon treat every now and then. I went looking on the internet for a heathy banana muffin recipe but none really caught my eye. So I invented my own. Like you do.

Ingredients
100g caster sugar
100g butter
2 eggs
1tsp vanilla extract
100g self raising flour
50g rolled oats
1 ripe banana
1tbsp golden syrup - optional
handful (or two) of seedless raisins - optional
25g roughly chopped dark chocolate - optional

Method
1. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Alternatively add the eggs with the flour and beat well after each addition.
3. Add the vanilla extract.
4. Mash the banana in a bowl with a fork and add to the cake mixture along with the rolled oats.
5. Add your optional ingredients. You can add seeds, more rolled oats, apricots...etc.
6. Divide the mixture into 12 paper cases and bake in the oven at 180 degrees celsius for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. 
7. Leave to cool in the tin for about 5 minutes and then move to a wire rack to cool completely.

As with about 99% of my recipes, always best enjoyed with a hot beverage. Now, these aren't exactly 100% healthy so I wouldn't recommend eating all of them in one sitting (however much you try to resist!). They fill that little afternoon snack hole in my belly and I feel satisfied that I haven't strayed from my healthy eating.

I hope you like the recipe and let me know if you end up making it!

What are your favourite healthy snacks?

Bon appétit 

Vanessa

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recipe: white chocolate and raspberry cupcakes

I'm sure it's no secret to anyone. I love to bake. I figured that I haven't done a recipe post in a while despite baking quite a lot the past few weeks, so I thought I'd share with you my new creations. White chocolate and raspberry cupcakes. These two vital ingredients are like one of the best flavour combinations ever! And oh my, they taste good. 


Ingredients
175g self raising flour
125g unsalted butter, softened
175g caster sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons semi-skimmed milk
100g melted white chocolate
1 packet of fresh/frozen raspberries

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius and prepare a cake tin with 12 paper cases.
2. Melt the white chocolate over a bain marie (or in the microwave, but be careful to not let it burn). Leave to one side to cool slightly.
3. Beat the softened butter with an electric whisk until light and fluffy and add the sugar, beating for an additional 5 minutes.
4. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and vanilla extract together.
5. Add the egg mixture into the butter mix in 3 separate batches making sure you're scraping down the sides of the bowl after each time.
6. Add the flour and milk alternatively, i.e. flour, milk, flour, milk, flour, milk until all incorporated.
7. Add the melted chocolate and raspberries and mix well. If using fresh raspberries, wash before use and put them in the freezer for about an hour before adding to the mix. 
8. Divide amongst the 12 paper cases and bake in the oven for approximately 20 minutes.
9. Once golden brown and springs back to the touch, leave in the tray for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
10. Top with the buttercream of your choice and enjoy with a hot beverage.

For my buttercream, I used a simple vanilla based buttercream, piped with a star nozzle and decorated it with white chocolate stars and mini marshmallows. These will keep for a few days in an airtight container and usually tastes best the day after you make them. But they still taste immense if you can't wait once they're ready!

Bon appétit 

Vanessa

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recipe: doughy chocolate cookies

When I was in London, me and my friend were gasping for a cup of coffee and a possible bite to eat. We came across a little shop called Ben's Cookies. Little did I know, it was the beginning of a love affair for those thick doughy cookies. In search for the perfect recipe to re-create them at home, I hit up YouTube and found this video that had a Ben's Cookie recipe. Let me just say now, the outcome is uncanny to those cookies that can be found in the shop. What do you need to make these dough drops of heaven?

300g caster sugar
200g unsalted butter
1 egg
275g plain flour
75g cocoa powder (Green & Blacks is the best for this)
A splash of milk
A large bar of chocolate

1. Make sure the butter is very very soft and cream together with the sugar in a bowl.
2. Add the egg and mix.
3. Sift the flour and cocoa powder into the bowl and mix. Add a splash of milk at this point if it is too doughy but not too much so you can't roll it and it will keep its shape.
4. Add chocolate chips or chunks of the chocolate bar into the mix.
5. Roll small amounts of the mixture into balls, I find this recipe makes about 12 large-ish cookies.
6. Place onto a baking tray that has been lined with baking paper and press it very slightly.
7. For the extra touch, add another chunk of chocolate.
8. Put in the oven at 180 degrees celsius for about 15 minutes.
9. Remove from oven, let it cool and enjoy with a nice cup of tea. 

You'll hopefully get thick doughy cookies with scrumcious chocolate chunks throughout. If eaten after cooling slightly, you'll get runny chocolate inside but if left for the next day, you'll get bites of thick chocolate throughout. Either way, my mouth is salivating whilst typing this out.

Bon appétit 

Vanessa

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recipe: winter warmer

You're probably used to baking recipes going up on the blog but little do you know, I'm quite the little chef as well. This winter warmer is perfect for those days where the weather is atrocious outside but you're inside snuggled up with a pile of DVDs. This is what I like to call the 'one pot wonder'. I made this recipe up so you can adjust it to add whatever you want to put in it!

Ingredients
1 can of chopped tomatoes
1 can of the beans of your choice (I've used cannelini, chick peas and haricot beans before and they all work really well)
300ml of stock (chicken or vegetable)
Cubed lamb (any type of meat works well. I like using lamb or pork for this)
Handful of pearl barley
2 handfuls of red lentils
Carrots
1 onion
Mushrooms
Chopped garlic
Variety of herbs and spices

1. Prepare all your ingredients, this includes chopping up all your vegetables, washing your pearl barley, opening your cans and cube your meat (not to be cubed too small)

2. With a little oil in your pot, fry your onions together with the garlic until soft. Add the carrots. Mix in the meat of your choice until browned.

3. Add the chopped tomatoes and bring to the boil. Then add your stock. Again, bring to the boil. Turn down the heat to medium and add your lentils and pearl barley. Give it a good stir and then leave it to simmer on a very low heat for about 1 hour.

4. Stir every so often so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. About 45 minutes into the simmering process, add your flavourings. I use rosemary, oregano, salt, pepper and mixed herbs. You can use whatever you like. Add the mushrooms and your choice of beans at this point. Stir and leave for another 15 minutes or until the pearl barley is cooked and the mixture thickens.

5. Turn off the heat about 5 minutes before serving so it can thicken up further.

6. Serve immediately.

Can be served with rice, warm crusty bread or garlic bread. I love making this recipe because it's so simple to make. The only skills you need is adding and stirring. Simples.

Bon appétit

Vanessa

x 

recipe: banana caramel layered cake

I don't eat bananas very often. Very seldom actually. But when you put them in a cake, I'm all over it like a rash! I thought I'd share with you my latest culinary delight. A banana caramel layered cake.

*beware. bananas feature heavily in this post!*

Recipe

200g butter

150g caster sugar

50g light brown sugar

4 eggs

200g self raising flour

*a dash of vanilla extract*

1tbsp milk

2 small very ripe bananas

1. Cream the butter and both types of sugar together with an electric whisk until light and fluffy.

2. Whisk the eggs and vanilla together and add to the butter and sugar a little at a time.

3. Sieve the flour in and gently fold until all incorporated.

4. Mush the bananas in a separate bowl with a fork and add to the cake mix along with the milk. Mix.

5. Bake in three separate tins and bake in the oven at 180 degrees celsius for about 20 minutes or until golden brown and cooked.

Make a caramel buttercream with either shop bought caramel or make your own. Layer with the buttercream and slices of banana between each layer. Top with a drizzle of caramel or a topping of your choice. 

Excuse my very sparse and sporadic instructions. It's tough to remember what you did when you're in banana caramel cake and coffee heaven!

An alternative to buttercream would be whipped cream and you can omit the additional slices of banana between the layers if you wish. Enjoy as your afternoon tea, with some ice cream for desert, coffee or tea, or any time in between!

Bon appétit!

Vanessa

x 

recipe: maple syrup cake

Woah, I haven't done a recipe post is ages! I miss them as much as I'm sure you miss them too! 

My brother got back from his North America/Canada trip a few weeks ago and whilst in Canada, I asked him to pick me up a bottle of liquid gold aka maple syrup! I struggled this week to think of what to bake; chocolate cake, pie, cupcakes...?! Then I had an epiphany. Maple syrup cake. 

Sandwiched with a creamy vanilla buttercream filling, it has that perfect sticky maple syrup taste that lingers in the back of your mouth whilst you enjoy the beautiful sponge texture. Are you salivating already? It may look plain but don't let appearances fool you!

As with most of my bakes, I bake without a recipe to hand so I'm going to try my best to give you accurate measurements but it will become apparent that I've had to improvise a little!

Recipe

200g butter

200g caster sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

200g self raising flour

2tbsp milk

A big glug of maple syrup

1. Cream the butter until light then add the sugar and cream again until light and fluffy. 

2. Whisk the eggs with the vanilla extract and mix with the butter mixture alternatively with the flour. 

3. Add the milk and maple syrup and mix until combined. If the mixture starts to curdle, add a tablespoon of flour as required.

4. Divide the mixture amongst cake tins or baking cases. Bake in the oven at 180 degrees celsius for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

5. Leave to cool in the tins for 10 minutes and then turn out onto a cooling rack.

6. Once completely cool, sandwich them together with your favourite buttercream!

Although I would have loved to cover the entire cake with buttercream and do some piping work on it, it really doesn't call for it as it'll be too overly sweet. I cannot put into words how amazingly tasty this cake is. Along with a mug of hot chocolate, you can almost see the log fire burning and it's finally Autumn!

Next thing...maple syrup pancakes and bacon!

Bon appétit!

Vanessa

x

Sunday Summary #14: A Soft Pretzel Recipe Edition

Some of you keen-eyed readers might have noticed that I didn't do a 'Sunday Summary' last week. It has to do with the fact that I'm not really doing a LOT during my week and I do prefer to do special 'editions' more as they will hopefully add a little happiness to your Sunday! I've been spending my Sunday baking in the kitchen and it resulted in these uh-mazing pretzels!

I bought a pretzel yesterday from the newly opened 'Mr Pretzel' in my local shopping centre, I was definitely tempted by the aroma of sugar and cinnamon (one of my favourite flavour combinations ever!). I then thought to myself, that I could probably make my own for less than what I paid, and I actually had ALL the ingredients already!

I'm not going to lie, the recipe is time-consuming (in my eyes) and you do need to be a little bit confident in your baking. But I believe that anyone can make these!

I wish someone would invent smell-o-vision already!

Recipe (from Laura in the Kitchen)
Makes 12 Soft Pretzels

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups of warm water
1 tbsp of sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 packet of yeast
2 tbsp of melted butter
4 1/2 to 5 cups of plain flour

6 cups of water
1/3 cup of baking soda

Egg wash
Your choice of toppings

1. Add water, sugar and salt to a bowl and mix. Sprinkle to yeast on top and let it sit for about 5 minutes.

2. Add the flour and the melted butter and mix with an electric mixer with the dough hook attachment. Once everything is combined, mix for about 5 minutes until you achieve a smooth dough.

3. Brush the insides of a bowl with some oil and put the dough in the bowl. Cover with cling film or a clean dish towel and let it rise in a warm area for about 1 hour.

4. Preheat your oven to 190 degrees celsius, and line two baking trays with baking paper and oil well.

5. Put the water and baking soda in a large pot and let the water come to a boil.

6. Once the dough has risen, cut into 12 equal pieces, roll each piece into a rope and make a U shape, then press the ends of the rope at the bottom of the U shape and pinch the ends. Place your pretzels onto the baking tray.

7. Place the pretzels into the boiling water for 30 seconds, two at a time. Remove from the water and put them back on the baking tray. Cook all of the pretzels this way in the water. Brush the pretzels with the egg wash and lightly sprinkle with your topping.

8. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until deeply golden brown.

9. Serve warm.

I used salt, brown sugar and brown sugar mixed with cinnamon for my toppings. Once out the oven and cooled slightly, you can sprinkle more of your topping on top to make it more tasty! These definitely rival the leading pretzel making shops and you can show off that you made them yourself!

Have you ever tried making your own pretzels before?

Vanessa

x

P.S...I hope you're all having a great Sunday! I will definitely be watching the Olympics closing ceremony tonight!