Millionaire's Shortbread

As you can guess from the name, Millionaire's Shortbread is a very rich dessert. It is one of my personal favourites and perfect for almost every occasion. The middle, caramel layer is the longest to cook. If you don't have two hours to spare, it is possible to find it already cooked in some supermarkets with the name Dulce De Leche.

Ingredients:
300g (11oz) Digestive biscuits or graham crackers
3 tbs Butter
1kg (35oz) Condensed milk
250g (9oz) Dark chocolate
50g (2oz) White Chocolate

Method:

• Place the can of condensed milk, unopened, in a saucepan of simmering water. Leave for 2 hours, checking occasionally to make sure the pan does not boil dry.
• Place the biscuits into a plastic bag, place that plastic bag into another plastic bag.
• Smash with a rolling pin until the biscuits resemble breadcrumbs.
• Place the butter in a saucepan on a medium heat. Once the butter is melted stir in the biscuits. Take the pan off the heat.
• Press the biscuit mixture into a large rectangular baking dish with a spoon. Place in the fridge.
• In a heatproof bowl, over a pan of simmering water, stir the dark chocolate until melted. Do the same with the white chocolate in a different bowl.
• Take the dish out of the fridge. Open the can of condensed milk and pour over the top of the biscuits.
• Pour the dark chocolate on top of the condensed milk and drizzle the white chocolate on top.
• Place in the fridge until the chocolate has hardened.
• Cut up into squares and enjoy.

Last Minute St. Patrick's Day Mint Chocolate Cupcakes

What's your favourite cupcake flavour? Mine has always been and I think will always be mint chocolate. I love the vibrant green icing of these cupcakes, adorned with a little green sweet, these are some of the cutest St. Patricks Day cupcakes, but to be honest I think these can and should be eaten all year round. Warning these cupcakes are not for the faint hearted, only try these if you are a true chocaholic!

Ingredients:
For the cakes:
200g Flour
1/2 tsp Bicarbonate soda
5 tbs Cocoa powder
250g Maple Syrup
175ml Milk
4 tbs Yogurt or buttermilk
1 Small avocado, mashed
2 tsp Peppermint extract

For the Icing:
175g Butter, softened
275g Icing sugar
Drop of milk
1 tsp Peppermint extract
Drop of Green food colouring

Method:

• Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F,Gas mark 4). Line a muffin tray with 12 paper cupcake cases.
• Combine all cake ingredients and mix until smooth.
• Spoon the mixture into cupcake cases and bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
• Leave to cool for at least half an hour.
• While the cakes are cooling make the icing.
• Mix the butter and sugar, add the milk as needed to soften the mixture. Add the peppermint and food colouring as desired.
• Once completely cool, ice the chocolate cakes and adorn with a chocolate sweet if desired.

Mocha Buns

These beautiful chocolate cakes with just a hint of coffee are a personal favourite of my Aunty Claire. The butterfly wings although slightly tricky to make are a cute touch to these buns.

Ingredients:
For the buns:

• 100g (4oz) softened butter
• 100g (4oz) golden caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 75g (3oz) self raising flour
• 25g (1oz) cocoa powder
• 1 tbs of strong hot coffee

For the buttercream:

• 50g (2oz) softened butter
• 100g  (4oz) icing sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla essence

Method:

• Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F, Gas mark 4). Line a muffin tray with 12 paper cupcake cases.
• Cream the butter and the sugar. Add the eggs 1 at a time, pour in the coffee and mix well.
• Sift the flour and cocoa powder and fold them in.
• Spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases and bake for 15 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
• Take the buns out of the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack tray. Meanwhile make the buttercream.
• Sift the icing sugar into a bowl add the butter and vanilla essence, beat till smooth.
• Using a sharp knife carefully cut a circle from the top of each cake. Cut each circle in half through the middle.
• Spread some buttercream in the hole in each cake and gently push the half circles in to form wings.

If you want you can double the recipe and make a big mocha cake, just bake for slightly longer.

Mothers Day Cake

As Mother's Day is tomorrow I decided to make this

delicious moist buttermilk cake which is perfect for your Mum.

Ingredients:
For the cake
275g cream flour
1tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
125g butter
200g caster sugar
2 eggs
225ml buttermilk
1tsp vanilla essence

For the glaze
235ml cream
110g brown sugar
1tbs syrup e.g. maple, corn, agave
1tsp vanilla essence 

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF, Gas mark 4.) Grease and line a 20cm (8") square tin.
•  Cream the butter and sugar. Add the vanilla.
• Beat in the eggs 1 at a time then slowly mix in the buttermilk.
• Add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in 2-3 batches.
• Pour batter into the cake tin and bake for 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
• While the cake is cooking make the glaze.
• Boil the cream, brown sugar and syrup for 13 minutes. Add vanilla.
• Pour the glaze over the cake while it's still in the tin and still warm.
• Cut into pieces and enjoy.

Chocolate mousse cake

I absolutely adore this light chocolate cake with the gorgeous chocolate buttercream icing which makes for a delicious cake suitable for any occasion.

Ingredients
For the cake:
100g (3.5oz) melted unsalted butter
8 eggs
300g (11oz) caster sugar
200g (7oz) cream flour
75g (3oz) cocoa powder
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla essence


For the icing:
100g (3.5oz) dark chocolate
200g (7oz) unsalted butter
400g (14oz) icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F Gas mark 4.) Grease and dust a 28cm (11") bunt tin.
• Mix the eggs and sugar with an electric whisk for 6 - 8  minutes.
• Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and fold into the eggy mixture.
• Add the vanilla and the melted butter.
• Pour into the tin and bake for 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
• While the cake is cooling make the icing.
• Melt the butter and chocolate in a bowl. Sift in the icing sugar and add the vanilla essence.
• When the cake and the icing are cool spread the icing over the cake, leave to set and enjoy.

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.