Very chocolatey muffins difficulty ** #72

Makes 12

Preparing time: 20 minutes 

Cooking time: 25 minutes 

Ingredients:

• 175 g plain dark chocolate, broken into pieces
• 50 g slightly salted butter 
• 275 g self-raising flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 50 g cocoa powder 
• 125 g light sugar 
• 150 g milk chocolate 
• 1 egg, beaten 
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
• 275 ml milk 

1. Melt the plain dark chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water (don't let the base to touch the water)
2. Mix together the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, sugar and milk chocolate in a large bowl 
3. Beat together the eggs, vanilla and milk in a jug 
4. Pour a little into the melted chocolate and stir well until smooth 
5. Stir in the remaining milk mixture, then pour into the dry ingredients 
6. Stir together using a large metal spoon until just combined 
7. Divide the mixture evenly between paper muffin cases arranged in a 12-hole muffin tray 
8. Bake in a preheated oven, 190 C(375 F),Gas Mark 5, for about 20 minutes until well risen and just firm to the touch 
9. Transfer to the wire rack to cool
10. Serve warm or cold with vanilla ice-cream, if liked. 
11. Enjoy! :-)  

Date and sesame bars difficulty * #71

Cuts into 16

Preparing time: 15 minutes 

Cooking time: 25-30 minutes 

Ingredients:

• 125 g unsalted butter 
• 75 g golden caster sugar 
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 150 g stoned dates
• 125 g self-raising flour 
• 125 g medium oatmeal 
• 50 g sesame seeds 

1. Put the butter, sugar and honey in a saucepan and heat gently until butter has melted 
2. Then remove from the heat and stir in the dates 
3. Place the flour and oatmeal in a bowl 
4. Add the sesame seeds,reserving 2 tablespoons
5. Pour in the butter mixture and mix until combined
6. Spoon into a greased 28 x 18 cm shallow baking tin and level the surface 
7. Scatter with the reserved seeds
8. Bake in a preheated oven, 180 C(350 F),Gas Mark 4, for about 25-30 minutes, or until pale golden and firm to the touch 
9. Leave to cool in the tin, then turn out on to a board and cut into bars
10. Enjoy! :-)

Apricot teabread difficulty ** #70

Cuts into: 10

Preparing time: 25 minutes

Cooking time: 60 minutes 

Ingredients:

• 100 g ready-to-eat dried apricots, chopped
• 100 g sultanas
• 100 g raisins 
• 150 g caster sugar 
• 300 ml hot strong tea
• 275 g self-raising flour 
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 1 egg, beaten

1. Put the dries fruits and sugar in a bowl, add the hot tea and mix together 
2. Leave to soak for 4 hours or overnight
3. Mic together the flour, bicarbonate of soda and cinnamon, add to the soaked fruit with the egg and mix together well 
4. Spoon the mixture into a greased and lined 1 kg or 1.3 liter loaf tin and level the surface  
5. Bake in the center of a preheated oven, 160 C(325 F), Gas Mark 3, for about 60 minutes until well risen, the top has cracked and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean 
6. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then loosen at the ends and transfer to a wire rack 
7. Peel off the lining paper and leave to cool completely 
8. Cut into slices and spread with a little butter to serve.
9. Enjoy! :-)

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Makes: 16 pieces

Turtle fudge difficulty ** #69 

Ingredients

• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate morsels
• 1 cup milk chocolate morsels
• 1 – 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
• 3.5 ounces marshmallow cream, half of a jar you can just eyeball it
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 30 unwrapped caramels 
• 2 cups whole or chopped pecans
• Non-stick spray

1.Spray an 8×8 or 9×9 pan generously with non-stick spray, or line it with foil. 

2.Make sure that you go up the sides with your foil as well. 

3.I would highly suggest using foil it makes it so easy to take out the fudge!

4.Set aside.

5.In a large saucepan, combine all chocolate chips, add 3/4 can of sweetened condensed milk (just eye ball it) over medium-low heat (about 10-15 minutes). 

6.Stir constantly until smooth. 

7.Remove from heat and add vanilla, stir. 

8.Add marshmallow cream, stir vigorously until smooth. 

9.You may have to return it to low heat for a minute or two, to get it completely smooth again. 

10.Turn off heat. If it become slightly stiff, its okay it will still taste just fine.

11.Press 1/2 of the mixture into prepared pan, doesn't have to be exact. 

12.Leave the remaining 1/2 of your chocolate in the saucepan on your warm stove do not place on the burner you were just using it will burn the chocolate.

13.Sprinkle pecans evenly across the top of your chocolate, lightly press pecans into fudge using the bottom of another 8x8 or 9x9 pan.

14. Don’t press them too far in, you want to see them later when you cut your fudge. 

Notes which can help.

15.You only want only a single layer of pecans, if you double them up, the fudge won’t hold together. 

16.Place pan in refrigerator (or freezer) to set up. About 10-15 minutes.

17.In a medium-sized saucepan, combine unwrapped caramels and the rest of your sweetened condensed milk, (1/4 can). Heat on low and stir until melted and smooth. 

Pour all but 2 tablespoons of the caramel evenly over fudge layer. Reserve 2 tablespoons for drizzling later. 

Place in refrigerator or freezer for 15 minutes to set up. 

Re-heat reserved 1/2 of your chocolate and stir until smooth again. Press and spread over caramel layer. 

Place in fridge or freezer to set for 5 minutes. 

Re-melt your leftover caramel on the stove and drizzle it over the top of your fudge. 

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before cutting, slice into even squares and devour immediately. 

Homemade seeded oatcakes difficulty ** #68

Makes 20 

Preparing time: 15 minutes 

Cooking time: 25 minutes

125 g medium oatmeal 

75 g plain flour 

4 tablespoons mixed seeds

1/2 teaspoon celery salt or sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

50 g unsalted butter, chilled and diced

5 tablespoons cold water 

1. Put the oatmeal, flour, seeds, salt and pepper in a bowl or food processor
2. Add the butter and rub in with the fingertips or process until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs
3. Add the measurement water and mix or blend to a firm dough, adding a little more water if the dough feels dry 
4. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to 2.5 mm thick 
5. Cuts out 20 rounds using a 6 cm plain or fluted biscuit cutter, re-rolling the trimmings to make more 
6. Place slightly apart on a large greased baking sheet 
7. Bake in a preheated oven, 180 C(350 F),Gas Mark 4, for about 25 minutes until firm 
8. Transfer to a wire rack to cool 
9. Serve with cheese 
10. Enjoy! :-) 

New Year cake difficulty **** #67 

Cuts into 10 

Preparing time: 60 minutes 

Cooking time: 25 minutes 

Ingredients:

• 175 g slightly salted butter 
• 175 g caster sugar 
• 3 eggs 
• 175 g self-raising flour 
• 1 teaspoon baking powder 
• 1-2 tablespoons milk 

For the buttercream 

• 250 g unsalted butter, softened 
• 325 g icing sugar 
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
• drop of pink colouring 
• 2 teaspoons boiling water 

To finish 

• 5 tablespoons strawberry jam 
• 200 g small sweets, such as dolly mixtures, sugar sprinkles 

1. Beat together the butter, sugar, eggs, flour and baking powder in a bowl until pale and creamy 
2. Stir in a little milk so that mixture drops easily from the wooden spoon when tapped against the side of the bowl 
3. Divide the mixture evenly between 2 greased, base-lined and floured 18 cm sandwich tins and level the surface
4. Bake in a preheated oven, 180 C(350 F), Gas Mark 4, for about 25 minutes or until risen and just firm to the touch 
5. Loosen the edges, turn out on to a wire rack and peel off the lining paper 
6. Leave to cool 
7. Make a buttercream 
8. Beat together the butter and icing sugar in a bowl until pale and creamy 
9. Add the vanilla, pink food colouring and measurement water and beat well 
10. Sandwich the cakes together using jam and a quarter of the buttercream 
11. Spread the remaining icing over the top and side of the cake 
12. Scatter with the sweets and sugar sprinkles 
13. Add several sparkler, if liked :-)
14. Enjoy in the new year!

Happy New Year! 2016 :-) Welcome MMXVI

Easy almond macaroons difficulty * #66

Makes about 15

Preparing time: 10 minutes 

Cooking time: 15 minutes 

Ingredients:

• 2 egg whites 
• 100 g golden caster sugar 
• 100 g ground almonds 
• blanched almonds, to decorate 

1. Whisk the egg whites in a clean bowl with a hand-held electrical whisk until peaking 
2. Gradually whisk in the sugar, a spoonful at a time, until thick and glossy 
3. Add the ground almonds and stir in until combined
4. Drop dessertspoonfuls of the mixture, slightly apart, on a large baking sheet lined with baking parchment
5. Press an almond on top of each 
6. Bake in a preheated oven, 180 C(350 F),Gas Mark 4, for about 15 minutes until the biscuits are pale golden and just crisp
7. Leave on the paper for 5 minutes, then transfer to the wire rack to cool.
8. Enjoy! :-)