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I have recently been tested for celiacs, but thankfully this came back negative, however, on doctors orders I have been reducing my intake of gluten. One of the flours that my body can deal with is spelt. As a family we love baking and the boys both adore banana bread, so here is my take on banana bread made with spelt flour.
Banana Bread with Spelt Flour: A Healthy and Delicious Recipe Read More »
It has become something of a tradition that Maxi always has a chocolate smartie cake for his birthday. This year I decided to try and do something a little more eye catching. I love baking, but find icing larger cakes something of a chore. So this cake is very forgiving.
Cake Ingredients
6 oz of butter or marg
6 oz caster sugar
5 oz of self raising flour
1 oz of coco powder
1 teaspoon of baking powder
2 eggs
half teaspoon of vanilla extract
3 tablespoons of milk
Method.
Cream together the marg/butter and sugar. Then add the rest of the ingredients in and mix well!
Put in two 7 inch cake tins (I line the tins with parchment and grease) and place in to a preheated oven of 180 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. You can tell if the cakes are cooked if when you press the top it gives slightly but springs back.
Remove from oven and leave for 2 minutes before removing from tins and placing on to a wire rack to cool.
Icing Ingredients:
1 block of butter (250gm of 10 oz)
450 grams icing sugar
50 gms of coco powder
half teaspoon of vanilla extract
4 tablespoons of milk
Method
Soften the butter in a mixer before adding the other ingredients. Make sure you start mixing very slowly so you do not get icing sugar everywhere. If your mixer does not have a splatter guard then cover with a tea towel.
Assembling the cake
Sandwich together your two cakes with icing and then apply the remaining icing around and on top of the cake. You are going to use the using around the cake to stick the chocolate fingers to the cake, so make sure you have enough at the sides.
I applied the fingers and then refrigerated the cake overnight, before covering the top with smarties the following day.
Meanwhile, combine the dark chocolate, cream, and peppermint extract in a saucepan. Warm over -low heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture is just melted and smooth.
Cool to barely lukewarm, about 5 minutes and pour the dark chocolate mixture over the white chocolate rectangle.
Using a spatula chocolate in an even layer.
Chill until very cold , which is about 25 minutes.
Rewarm the remaining white chocolate over barely simmering water and then pour the white chocolate over the firm dark chocolate layer, using your spatula to spread it to cover.
Sprinkle with remaining crushed candy canes.
I’m loving this series of The Great British Bake Off, as are most of you guys judging by the #GBBO chat on Twitter every Tuesday night. Did you know that you can now also get the Great British Bake Off App which features lots of easy-to-find, easy-to-follow recipes from Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood. You can
English Summer Cupcakes: Delightful Recipes for a Seasonal Treat Read More »
Cool on a wire rack.
Hints and tips from the first time maker.
I put far too much sauce in and it bubbled out making the muffins rather sticky to eat, but they are delicious. Next time I will put less batter in the bottom and then less sauce and more batter on top.
Whenever I make Spagetti Carbonara, I am always left with 4 egg whites, so I have been looking for a receipe, other than meranges (as MadDad doesnt like then) for quite a while.
Finally whilst looking through some old books came across one that I wrote down an age ago (when I used to rip out pages of magazines and buy food magazines, which means it was pre children). I do not know the source of this recipe, so can not quote it , sorry.
Easy Egg White Cake Recipe: Light and Fluffy Dessert Read More »
The boys have gone to school today decked out in red, white and blue clothes (right down to their underwear) to celebrate the royal wedding tomorrow. The school is hosting a party for all the children and parents this afternoon and sent our a request for food for the party. So as we had been sent lots of things for baking over the Easter Holidays by Kellogg’s and Disney, which we hadn’t used as we were making the most of the fine weather, we decided to make patriotic Club Penguin Rice Krispy Puffle nests.
As you know I love food, but I especially love home cooked food and when the gorgeous and extremely talented Vanessa Kimbell put a shout out on twitter for recipe testers for her new, exciting and innovative cook book Prepped, so I put up my hand like I did back when I was in school
Classic Baked Rice Pudding Recipe: Creamy and Comforting Read More »
If your kids love the idea of gingerbread but not the fiery spice, this Not-So-Gingery Gingerbread recipe is for you! These cookies are sweet, buttery, and gently spiced — the perfect Christmas bake for little ones who prefer a milder flavour. They hold their shape beautifully for gingerbread men, reindeer, or even Christmas tree decorations
Not Too Gingery Gingerbread: Fun and Kid-Friendly Recipe Read More »
