Chocolate Candy Cane Cup Cakes

Hello,

I'm back with a recipe for Chocolate Candy Cane Cup Cakes that I made for the Christmas Fayre at my daughter's school a few weeks back.  My husband helped me put these together - this was his venture into baking but he thoroughly enjoyed it!  The recipe started life as a Mint chocolate cupcakes recipe at goodtoknow.co.uk and I've tweaked it slightly.  I found the mini candy canes in my local branch of Home Bargains but if you can't find them you could use something else suitably festive, a sprinkling of crushed Mint Aero chocolate or chopped Mint Matchmakers would work well too!

Chocolate Candy Cane Cup Cakes

Makes 12

Ingredients

For the cakes:

• 150g butter, softened
• 150g light muscovado sugar
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 115g self-raising flour, sifted
• 35g cocoa powder, sifted
• 1/2tsp baking powder

For the icing:

• 50g butter, softened
• 200g icing sugar
• Few drops peppermint extract
• Mini candy canes, to decorate

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/Gas Mark 4. Line a cupcake tin with large paper cupcake cases.
2. Place the butter and muscovado sugar in a mixing bowl and beat until light and fluffy.
3. Gradually add the beaten egg, a little at a time, until smooth. Using a large metal spoon fold in the flour, cocoa, and baking powder. Divide the mixture between the cake cases.
4. Bake for 20-25 mins until risen and just firm to the touch. Allow to cool on a wire rack.
5. To make the icing; Beat the butter with 1-2 tsp boiling water and the icing sugar to make a smooth soft consistency. Add peppermint extract to taste. Pipe or swirl onto the cupcakes and decorate with the mini candy canes.

These cup cakes look pretty impressive but they really aren't much work.  I think I'm starting to get a bit of a cup cake obsession and hubby bought me a fab Tala piping set as part of my Christmas present so he obviously enjoyed making them too!

Hugs,

Shona xx

Salted Chocolate Fudge

Hello!

Wow it's been a really busy weekend!  Daughter Iona came back from Glasgow early Saturday afternoon then we did a bit shopping and since my Zumba night out was cancelled we just had a nice chillaxed evening.  Today Iona had extra cheer practice in the morning followed by carol singing with her performing arts school, lunch out, Christmas shopping and then 3 hours of dancing.  I'm exhausted and I was just the taxi!

Ok, my recipe today is another I made for the Children in Need bake sale - Salted Chocolate Fudge!  I'm usually a bit wary of making anything like this as another similar experiment trying to make Baileys Fudge in the microwave went horribly wrong lol.  Anyway, this recipe from Tesco magazine seemed to be more or less foolproof so I decided to give it a go!  I took some to work too and everyone loved it so confectionary success at last!

Salted Chocolate Fudge

Makes 60 cubes

Ingredients:
400g milk chocolate, chopped
1 x 397g tin Carnation Caramel
25g salted butter
1/2 tsp sea-salt flakes, crushed
100g icing sugar, sifted

Method:
Line a 20x20 cm square tin with non-stick baking paper. Put all the ingredients except for the icing sugar into a pan.  Heat gently, stirring often, until the mixture is smooth.  Do not allow to boil.  Remove from the heat and beat in the icing sugar.

Pour into the prepared tin, level the surface and cool.  Chill for at least one hour, or overnight, until set.

Cut into 60 cubes.  Keep chilled in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.


Ah well back to work again tomorrow, it's been a blast!

Hugs, Shona xx

Chocolate Brownies

Good morning,

This recipe is another one I made for Iona's birthday party and was one a work colleague gave to me.  Making these felt a bit like being on Great British Bake Off as there was no method just a list of ingredients so I had to wing it and I'm pleased to say I pulled it off!  They are really lovely and squidgy just like brownies should be!

Chocolate Brownies

Makes approx 30

Ingredients:

125 ml vegetable oil
3 large eggs, beaten
200 g dark molasses sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
30 g cocoa or drinking chocolate
75 g self raising flour
200 g mix of dark and milk chocolate, melted
150 g white chocolate, chopped

Method:

Mix together flour, cocoa or drinking chocolate, sugar and white chocolate in a large bowl.  Mix the oil, eggs and vanilla together and gradually fold into the flour mix.  Finally, add the slightly cooled melted chocolate and fold in.  Turn the mixture into a 9 inch square greased and lined tin.  And bake at 170C (Fan Assisted) for approximately 45 mins or until the top 'cracks' but the cake still feels like it has a bit of give.  Leave to cool in the tin for 5 mins then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.  Cut into small squares to serve.

Malteser Crunch

Hello,

This is the first of two recipes that I made for my daughter's birthday party yesterday.  I've made this recipe lots of times since I first discovered it as it's so quick and easy but also really tasty - who doesn't like Maltesers!!!  The recipe is from the BBC Good Food website.

Ingredients

• 100g Milk Chocolate
• 100g Butter
• 200g Crushed Digestive Biscuits
• 200g Maltesers ( Leave a dozen aside for the top )
• 3 tbsp Syrup
• 200g White Chocolate

Method

1. Grease and line a swiss roll tin (approx 8"x10")
2. Melt together the milk chocolate, butter and syrup.
3. Add crushed biscuits and whole maltesers to chocolate mix.
4. Press into tin and place in fridge to chill.
5. When mix is firm, melt the white chocolate and pour on top. Finally crush up the left over maltesers and sprinkle on top.