Honey and Chocolate Biscuits April 29, 2012

Try different types of honey to vary the flavour of the biscuits.

 

Ingredients

 

60g/2 1/2 oz caster sugar

15g/1/2 oz butter

125g/4oz honey

1 egg, beaten

pinch of salt

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cloves

225g/8oz plain flour, sifted

1/2 tsp baking powder

75g/3 oz milk chocolate

 

Method

 

Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/gas mark 7, 10 minutes before baking.

Line 2 baking sheets with baking parchment.

Heat the sugar and honey together in a small saucepan until everything has melted and the mixture is smooth.

Remove from the heat and stir until slightly cooled, then add the beaten egg with the salt and beat well.

Stir in the ginger, cinnamon, cloves and the flour with the baking powder and mix well until a dough is formed.

Wrap in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for 45 minutes.

Place the chilled dough on a floured surface, roll out to about 5 mm/1/4 ins thickness and cut out small shapes.

Place onto the prepared baking sheets and bake for 8 – 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly, before moving onto a cooling rack.

Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Alternatively, melt the chocolate in the microwave, carefully, until smooth.

Either spread the melted chocolate over the biscuits or dip them in it, leave on baking parchment until completely set.

Chocolate Cinnamon Loaf Cake with Cinnamon Glaze April 12, 2012

 

This cake makes a great “grown up” chocolate cake, with the cinnamon giving a slightly more sophisticated taste. It doesn’t matter if it’s slightly undercooked as it goes lovely and Fudgy in the middle.

 

Ingredients

 

1/2 cup butter

1 cup water

1/2 cup oil

5 Tbsp cocoa powder

2 cups plain flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup yoghurt or buttermilk

1 tsp baking powder

2 eggs

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1tsp vanilla extract

1 pkt chocolate chips (optional)

 

For the Cinnamon Glaze

 

60g sifted icing sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1-2 Tbsp milk

 

Method

 

Preheat the oven to 175C/350F/gas mark 5

Grease either 2 loaf tins or a large bundt tin.

Put the butter, water, oil, and cocoa powder in a medium saucepan and heat to the simmering stage so everything is well combined, then remove from the heat.

Meanwhile, sieve together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl, then stir in the sugar.

Pour the melted chocolate mixture into the dry ingredients and mix well, then add the yoghurt and mix again.

Mix together the eggs and vanilla in a jug, then add to the chocolate mixture, along with the chocolate chips and stir well.

Pour the batter (this is going to be very runny) into your prepared tins and bake for approximately 55 minutes.

 

To make the glaze, put the icing sugar, cinnamon and 1Tbsp of the milk into a small bowl and mix, adding more milk a little at a time until it’s just pourable, then pour over the cake.

Old Fashioned Sugar Plum Cake December 23, 2011

This might just be the most moist cake you ever make.

We, well most of us, know that a prune is a dried plum. Can you imagine the response when telling people you’ve just made the most delicious prune cake? I don’t think they’d be in a hurry to try it, so we’ll stick to the word plum then everyone will be happy to try it and maybe even go on and make their own 😉

Ingredients

2 cups plain flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp allspice

2 tsp cinnamon

1 cup buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup ready to eat prunes, pitted and chopped

1 1/2 cups chopped nuts (I used hazelnuts, but use whatever you have handy)

Sauce

4 oz butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 tsp soda

2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup buttermilk

Line a bundt or 9 ins round cake tin with baking parchment.

Preheat the oven to 350F/175C/gas mark 4.

Combine all the cake ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Beat with an electric mixer until well combined.

Pour into prepared cake tin and bake for one hour.

Just before the cake is done, place all the sauce ingredients into a saucepan.

Bring to the boil, stirring constantly, and continue boiling gently until the sauce is thickened slightly, about two minutes.

Remove cake from the oven, but don’t take it out of the tin.

Poke holes all over the top of the cake with a fork.

Pour hot sauce over the cake.

Allow to stand for about half an hour for the sauce to be absorbed.

You can also add 1 tsp nutmeg if you like to.

Serve to Family and Friends remembering to call it ”Sugar Plum Cake” 😉

Oh and this conversion might help some of you..

1 cup = 227g = 8 oz

Also if you don’t have buttermilk, which is hard to find here in the UK, here is how you can easily make your own in 5 minutes…

milk (just under one cup)

1 Tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar

Place a Tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar in a measuring cup.

Add enough milk to bring the liquid up to the one cup full.

Let it stand for 5 minutes.

There it is, you have your buttermilk!

Apple Skillet Cake December 4, 2011

 

Visually this cake isn’t very appealing but it makes up for it in taste. It’s full of  flavour and very moist.

Nice hot as a dessert with custard, ice-cream or cream or eaten cold.

 

Ingredients

1/3 cup margarine

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup self raising flour

1/3 cup evaporated milk

2/3 cup sugar

5-6 apples, peeled and sliced

3 Tbsp additional melted margarine

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 egg, well beaten

1/3 cup water

 

Method

Melt butter in a skillet (frying pan).

Stir in 2/3 cup sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon.

Top with apple slices, cover and keep on a medium heat for ten minutes.

In a separate bowl, stir together flour, 1/3 cup sugar and 3/4 tsp cinnamon.

Combine 3 Tbsp melted margarine, egg, milk and water in a separate bowl.

Add to flour mixture and mix until just moistened.

Spoon over hot apples.

Cover and cook on stove top for twenty minutes on a low heat or until firm to touch.

Turn out onto plate.