Low fat chocolate cookies

I love these chocolate cookies and the fact that they're low fat makes me feel slightly less guilty. If you want the cookies chewy put the dough on to the tray in a sphere but if you want them crunchy cook them flatter and for a few minutes longer.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup agave, maple or corn syrup

2 egg whites

1 whole egg

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F, Gas mark 4.) Grease and line two large cookie trays.
•  Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix until thick and sticky.
• Add a drop of milk if necessary.
• Place one teaspoon per cookie on to the cookie trays.
• Bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until they look almost done as they will keep cooking on the tray after you take them out of oven.
• Cool on a wire rack tray and enjoy.

Chocolate cake

This delicous chocolate cake has a very surprising ingredient black beans. Black beans? In a cake? How does that work? You will have to trust me on this, this cake is so good.

Ingredients: 

For the cake

2 cups Drained black beans

1/2 cup Maple Syrup

1/2 cup Self raising flour

3 Egg whites

1/4 cup Cocoa powder

2 tsp Essence e.g. vanilla, coffee or mint

1 tsp Baking powder

Handful of chocolate chips

For the icing

3oz Light cream cheese

3oz Softened butter

1/4 cup Maple syrup

2 tsp Essence

Handful of melted chocolate chips

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F Gas mark 4.) Grease and line a 20cm squared tin.
• Place the black beans into a blender and blend until smooth.
• Add the rest of the ingredients and blend. Pour the mixture into the square tin.
• Bake for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out with a little bit of wetness. Leave on a wire rack to cool.
•  While the cake is cooling make the icing. Place the butter and cream cheese in a bowl. Mix in the syrup, essence and chocolate chips.
• When the cake is cool spread the icing over the cake.
• Cut up and enjoy.

Orange Blossom and Vanilla Cupcakes

I love these orange blossom cupcakes with a crème pâtissiere filling and a smooth buttercream icing. It's the perfect little treat for after lunch or morning snack. If orange blossom doesn't take your fancy you can always try rose.

Ingredients:

For the Cupcakes

125g (4oz) softened butter

125g (4oz) caster sugar

125g (4oz) flour

2 eggs

1 tsp orange blossom water

1 vanilla pod

For the crème pâtissiere

250ml (1/4 pint)

100g (3oz) sugar

60g (2oz) flour

1 egg

120g (4oz) cubed butter

1 tsp vanilla essence

Buttercream Icing

200g softened butter

450g icing sugar

1 tsp orange blossom water

Method:

• For the crème pâtissiere heat the milk and 1/2 the sugar in a sauce pan.
• In a separate bowl mix the rest of the sugar, the flour and 1 egg.
• Pour the flour mixture into the saucepan mix on a low heat until thickened.
• Take off the heat and add the butter. Leave to cool in the fridge.

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F gas mark 4.) Place 12 cupcake papers into a cupcake tin.
• For the cupcakes cream the butter and sugar. Add flour and eggs.
• Seed the vanilla pod and combine it with the orange blossom in cupcake mixture.
• Scoop the mixture into the cupcake papers and bake for 12 - 15 minutes or until they are golden brown and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

• While the cupcakes are cooling make the buttercream.
• Place the butter in a bowl mix in the icing sugar and orange blossom.
• Take the crème pâtissiere out of the fridge and whisk with a beater, if it's nit stiff put it back in the fridge

•   Create a hole in the centre of a cupcake, fill with crème pâtissiere. Repeat until all the cupcakes are full.
• Pipe the icing onto the cupcakes and garnish as you wish.

With the leftover crème pâtissiere why not make pâte à choux swans or éclairs.