Fat Friday #53 Cheats Millionaires' Shortbread

Getting back to basics on this Fat Friday with a classic teatime snack. Made from a base of shortbread, a middle of caramel and a top layer of chocolate, Millionaire Shortbread is made quickly when you know a couple of shortcuts. 

Recipe (found in my old notes from a past pastry lesson written on an envelope) Makes around 15 squares

Ingredients:

• 218g cold butter
• 312g flour
• 93g sugar
• Carnation caramel x 1 tin 
• 438g milk chocolate

Equipment:

• Brownie tin lined with baking parchment 
• Bowl 
• Palette knife 
• Saucepan full of water with a heatproof bowl above it
• Wire Rack

Method:

1) Preheat oven to GM 4/ 350F/180C.

2) In a bowl, with your hands rub the cold butter into the flour and sugar until it looks like breadcrumbs.

3) Combine the mixture with your hands and then press as tightly as you can into the brownie tin and bake for 20 minute or until the base is golden. Leave the base to cool completely.

4) Once that base is cooled, spread the carnation caramel over the base evenly with the palette knife. Place the almost completed shortbread in the fridge.

5) Melt the chocolate in the heatproof bowl set above simmering water and stir occasionally. 

6)Once the chocolate is completely melted than spread on top of the caramel layer and leave to set. 

(Optional step 7) Sprinkle with edible glitter/sprinkles/confetti/whatevers)

Later peeps and happy Friday!

Fat Friday #52 Hot Cookie Dough Dessert

Note: This recipe is to share, however you will be temped to eat the whole thing. You have been warned.

Happy Friday! I love cookies. There have been multiple recipes on this blog dedicated to cookies.
This is some next level cookie-ness! Quite honestly I was just sick of paying for cookie dough desserts, and not really knowing what ingredients go into them. So this recipe now gets made when "cookie munchies" hit. 

Enjoy. You are welcome. 

Recipe (Adapted from Nadia's Kitchen by Nadia Hussain) Makes 1 large cookie Serves 2 generously or 1 Penny Serving. 

Ingredients:

• 125g plain flour
• 1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 85g salted butter, softened
• 150g golden caster sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 100g dark chocolate chips
• 100g milk chocolate chips
• Optional: Vanilla ice cream to serve

Equipment:

• Bowl x 2
• Sieve
• 8 inch/20cm tart dish 
• Wooden Spoon

Method:

1) Sieve the flour and bicarbonate of soda into one bowl and set aside.

2) In another bowl, mix the sugar, butter, vanilla and the egg until its completely combined. 

3) Add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and mix to create a dough. Mix in those yummy chocolate chips

4)Press the dough into the tart dish to cover the bottom. Place in the fridge for 15 minutes. (Note or do what I did and bake it the next day)

5) Preheat oven to 190c/170c/Gas Mark 

6) Bake in the oven for 12 minutes. 

7) Remove the dish from the oven carefully. The dough will be very soft but its a cookie DOUGH dessert... so thats what you would expect.

8) Serve with ice cream or eat as is! 

Have a great weekend!

Fat Friday #51 Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Happy Friday everyone! I can't get enough of cookies! There have been so many cookie recipes lately. I can't really get enough of them, however I never thought to do a traditional cookie but make it vegan friendly. If you aren't vegan then that's ok, you can use unsalted butter and regular chocolate chips instead of margarine and dairy-free chocolate. 

Also, I have to say these cookies are very...cake-like. So they will be a nightmare to get off the baking sheet. Be patient and just make sure that you wait until the tray goes cold, then remove them.

Recipe: Makes 24 cookies (Adapted from Mom on Time Out)

Ingredients:

• 240g flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp of cornflour
• Pinch of Salt
• 2 ripe bananas
• 120g golden caster sugar
• 50g caster sugar
• 180g dairy free chocolate chips* (or regular chocolate chips)
• 50g margarine (or unsalted butter)

*I couldn't find dairy free chocolate chips so I chopped up a slab of chocolate into chunky bits.

Equipment:

• Bowl x 2
• Wire rack
• Handwhisk/Wooden spoon
• Baking sheets lined with silicone paper x 4 (Or just use two and wait for each sheet to cool down)
• Fridge

1)Place all of the dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

2)Cream the margarine, bananas, and sugars together and super light and fluffy.

3)Stir in the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture until just combined.

4) Add the chocolate and pop in the fridge for about 30 minutes or until firm. 

5)Preheat your oven to 375f/GM 5/190C

6) Roll the dough into 1 inch little balls and place on a baking trays.

7) Bake for 10 minutes or until they turn a light brown.

8) Let the cookies cool on they tray for about 15 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.

9)Eat like a boss. 

Happy Friday Peeps!

Fat Friday #50 Peanut Butter Oreo Brownie

Happy 50th Fat Friday! This is now one of favourite recipes and its such a unique way of making a brownie. The bottom layer is a peanut crumble layer, the middle is a layer of oreos and top layer is a chocolate brownie layer. Its worth the extra effort and can be served, with some clotted cream, as a dessert too.

Recipe (adapted from Primrose Bakery Everyday by Martha Swift)
Peanut Butter layer ingredients:
225g plain flour
3/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
170g golden caster sugar
115g dark brown sugar 
75g milk chocolate chips
125g unsalted butter
250g chunky peanut butter
1 large egg
1 tablespoon milk
2 x packets of Oreos

Equipment:
Brownie tin (33x23cm) greased and lined with silicone paper
Sieve
Bowl
Wooden spoon/Handheld whisk

Method:
1)Preheat oven to GM 4/180C/350F.
2)In a bowl, mix throughly the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking soda, salt, sugars and chocolate chips.
3)Add the butter and peanut butter into the dry ingredients and mix until it becomes crumbly.
4)Mix the egg and milk into the crumbly mixture, until a dough forms.
5)Tip the dough into the lined brownie tin and spread with your (clean) hands until the base is completely covered.
6)Arrange a nice layer of oreos on top of the peanut butter. Put to once side.

Brownie Layer ingredients:
160g golden caster sugar
60g dark chocolate chunks
125g milk chocolate chunks
25g cocoa powder
100g plain flour
200g unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs

Equipment:
Bowl
Hand whisk/wooden spoon

Method:
1)Tip the sugar, chocolate chunks, cocoa powder and plain flour into a bowl. Mix well.
2)Add the melted butter, followed by the eggs and mix until combined.
3)Spread the brownie mixture on top of the oreos in the brownie tin.

To finish:
1)Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the top is firm, but still a little soft in the middle. Don't over bake or this brownie will dry out.
2)Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares and consume. Life is good. 

Happy Friday everyone!

Fat Friday #49 Natural Red Velvet Cupcakes

I've always loved the look of red velvet cakes and cupcakes. I've made them before but was always a little off put by the amount of red food colouring. I stumbled across this recipe in one of my favourite books and wanted to try it for a group of friends who were coming over for afternoon tea. Its made with beetroot and raspberries (there is a little food colouring to add a rich colour but you can omit this if you like) so its as natural as it can get. 

Recipe Adapted from Primrose Celebrations by Lisa Thomas and Martha Swift
Beetroot Puree :

• 1 raw beatroot
• 35g frozen raspberries
• 1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 
• 1/2 tablespoon cold water

Equipment:

• Blender
• Chopping board
• Knife
• Peeler
• Bowl

Method:
1) Peel and chop the beetroot into cubes. Place in the blender with the other ingredients.
2)Whizz for 5 minutes, scraping the sides from time to time to make sure that the puree is really smooth.
3)Once smooth place in a bowl to one side. 

Buttercream Ingredients:

• 80g unsalted butter
• 160g cream cheese
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 560g icing sugar

Equipment:

• Handwhisk
• Bowl

Method:
1)Place all the ingredients into a bowl and mix with a hand whisk until light and fluffy.

Cupcakes Ingredients:

• 185g self-raising flour
• a pinch of salt
• 30g dark chocolate
• 60g unsalted butter
• 150g golden caster sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 55ml milk mixed with 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon natural red food colouring
• 115g of the beetroot puree

Equipment:

• Cupcake tray lined with cupcake liners
• Wire rack 
• Bowl x 2
• Hand held electric whisk
• Saucepan filled with hot water with a heatproof bowl on top/Microwave
• Sieve

Method:
1)Pre heat oven to GM 4/350f/180c.
2)Sift the flour and salt together in a bowl. Set aside. 
3) Melt the chocolate either in the microwave or on the heatproof bowl with hot water in a saucepan. Make sure the chocolate doesn't burn.
4)Place the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla in another bowl and mix until light and fluffy. 
5)Add the melted chocolate to the egg and sugar mixture, and whisk again.
6)Pour in the milk and lemon liquid and food colour and mix on a low speed. Then add the beetroot puree and mix again!
7)Add the dry ingredients to the batter, mix and divide into the cupcake cases, filling them about 2/3 full.
8)Bake in the oven for 15-18 minutes. Leave to cool on a wire rack.

Once cool you can decorate as you like! I like to use a palette knife or a piping bag fitted with a circle nozzle. Of course sprinkled with some cute little sprinkle thingies too. 
Happy Friday! 

Fat Friday #48 Laura's Vegan Banana Cake

Many thanks to friend and worker Laura who gave me permission to pop this recipe on the blog. She's constantly baking vegan friendly sweet-treats for us girls at work and she made this amazing banana cake! I needed the recipe in my life! It turns out that this is an all in one recipe, so its minimal effort.

Recipe  Vegan Banana Cake-kindly provided by Laura (Many thanks):

• 100g Vegetable spread (such as flora)
• 10ml sunflower oil
• 200g golden caster sugar
• 200g self raising flour
• 2 bananas 
• A handful raspberries

Equipment:

• Bowl
• Wooden Spoon
• Loaf tin greased and lined with silicone paper
• wirerack 

Method:

1)Pre-heat oven to GM 4/ 180c/350f. Grease and line the loaf tin. 

2)Throw all the ingredients into a bowl and mix until all combined together. Seriously, thats it!

3)Pour the batter into the loaf tin and pop in the oven for about 50 minutes or until the top is golden or until you can put a toothpick into the centre, so it comes out clean. 

4)Let this cool on a wire rack until completely cold.

Thank you again for letting me post this recipe Laura. Happy Friday Folks!

Fat Friday #47 Cookie Dough Cupcakes

Oh yeah! Cookie dough! One of my guilty pleasures. I never eat cake batter or biscuit doughs as I want to eat the baked product. But cookie dough is another thing, if there isn't enough to make a full cookie, I will eat it. When I saw this recipe for cookie dough inside a cupcake, it was definitely one for a Fat Friday.  Although, you'll need to start the day before to make the cookie dough so they have enough time to freeze. 

Recipe (Adapted from Primrose Bakery Everyday by Martha Swift) 
Cookie Dough Ingredients:

• 50g unsalted butter
• 75g golden caster sugar
• 75g flour
• 30g dark chocolate chopped into pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Equipment:

• Electric hand whisk/Wooden spoon
• Freezer friendly plate or tray
• Bowl

Method:
1) Place all the ingredients into a bowl and mix until combined
2) Using a set of scales (hopefully you used some to weigh out the ingredients!) weigh out 20g of cookie dough and roll into balls. (Note: they maybe a pain to roll but its worth it)
3)Put in the freezer to freeze overnight. 

Cupcake Ingredients:

• 170g unsalted butter
• 170g golden caster sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 170g self raising flour
• 45ml milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Equipment:

• Electric hand whisk/Wooden spoon
• Cupcake tin lined with 12 cupcake liners
• Bowl
• Wire rack

Method:

1) Preheat the oven to GM 4/180c/350f. Line the cupcake tin with cupcake wrapper.

2) Cream the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. 

3) Add the eggs in one at a time and mix until incorporated. 

4) Throw in the flour, milk and vanilla extract and beat again until no flour lumps are present.

5) Spoon the batter into the cupcake cases until they are 2/3 full.
6) Grab the frozen cookie balls that you made the day before, and place one ball in each of the cupcakes. You won't need to press them in, the batter should bake over them. 
7) Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cakes are golden brown on the top. 
8) Leave in the tin to cool for 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Buttercream Ingredients:

• 150g unsalted butter
• 350g icing sugar, sieved
• 100g golden caster sugar
• pinch of salt
• 60g sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 35g dark chocolate pieces, chopped

Equipment:

• Electric hand whisk/Wooden spoon
• Sieve
• Bowl
• Piping bag fitted with a large circle nozzle/ palette knife

Method:

1) Place all the ingredients in bowl and beat until combined.

2) Once the cupcakes have cooled down, pipe a swirl on top or use a palette knife to spread onto each cupcake. 

Happy Friday!

Fat Friday #46 Red Berry Brownie

Happy Friday! Nothing better then a sweet, tart and chocolatey brownie to kickstart the weekend! This recipe is adapted as I actually ran out of sugar, so I used icing sugar instead. The result was amazingly fudgey and very chocolately. Give them a bake this weekend!

Recipe (Adapted from Primrose Bakery Everyday by Martha Swift) 
Ingredients:

• 250g unsalted butter
• 75g golden caster sugar
• 75g icing sugar
• 40g cocoa powder
• 150g plain flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 150g dark chocolate chunks
• 150g white chocolate chunks
• 200g fresh strawberries and raspberries (chopped)
• 3 eggs

Equipment:

• Microwave/Saucepan filled with water, with a heatproof bowl on top
• Brownie tin lined with greaseproof paper
• Bowl x 2
• Wooden spoon

Method:

1) Preheat the oven to GM 4/180c/350f. Grease and line with greaseproof paper.

2) Melt the butter on the hob over a pan of hot water or microwave in the oven until completely melted. Set aside.

3) In another bowl, put the sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, flour and chocolate chunks and mix until combined.

4) Pour the melted butter into the dry ingredients, and stir (like a boss) until thoroughly mixed in. 

5) Add the strawberries and raspberries and very gently fold them into the mixture.

6) Pour the batter into prepared tin and spread evenly.

7) Bake for 30-35 minutes. Allow to cool into the tin. 

Happy Friday!

Fat Friday #45 Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

I've finally sorted out my recipe book and finally found an old recipe I've never tried before. A cookie recipe that I found jotted down on a sticky note was hidden in the recipe book page. If its worth writing down, then its worth a try, right? It actually worked out really well. The perfect cookie, just chewy in the middle and crispy around the edge. Great to start a weekend, or ruin a diet. 

Recipe: Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes 12-15 cookies (Found in my recipe book, not sure where it came from) 

Ingredients:

• 250g plain flour
• 2g baking powder
• 170g unsalted butter
• 220g brown sugar
• 100g caster sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 335g chocolate chips (I used a mix of white, dark and milk chips)

Equipment

• Baking sheets lined with baking parchment x 2 
• Sieve
• Bowl x 2
• Microwave
• Wooden Spoon
• Wire Rack 

1. Preheat the oven tp 325f/165c/ Gas Mark 3. Grease and line the cookie sheets. 
2. Sieve the flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Set aside. 
3. In a separate bowl, melt the butter in the microwave until a liquid. 
4. Add both sugars to the melted butter and mix throughly. 
5. Beat in the egg, the egg yolk, vanilla extract until fluffy.
6. Mix into the dry ingredients into the batter until combined. 
7. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand.
8. Flour your hands a little, then roll the batter into 1 inch balls. Space them 3 inches apart on the baking sheet. 
9. Bake for 15-17 minutes in the oven or until the edges are lightly toasted. The middle should be soft but not gooey. 
10. Once you remove the baking sheets from the oven, leave the cookies to cook for a further 10 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool. 

Happy Baking!

Fat Friday #44: Pear Conde

Welcome to Fat Friday! This recipe is an easy warm dessert that can be made with little to no effort. I really quite like this as a warm breakfast if I have a long day ahead of me. Make this in advanced for a cold dessert or eat straight away for a warm dessert. 

Recipe: Pear Conde (Recipe kindly provided by my pastry tutor Faye) 

Ingredients:
500ml milk
50g sugar
50g Pudding rice
10g Butter
1 teaspoon of grated nutmeg
1 egg yolk
Vanilla essence

Caramel Pears
1/2 a pear chopped thinly
15g butter
1 tablespoon of brown sugar

Equipment
Small molds lined with cling film
Knife
Chopping board
Saucepan 
Frying pan
Wooden spoon 
Platlett knife
Spoon

1. Put the milk into a saucepan to warm it through, add the pudding rice, vanilla and nutmeg. Stir until cooked through. (This will take ages but keep stirring from time to time)
2. In a pan heat up 15g of butter until melted, add the pears and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar and cook until the pears have a golden brown colour on each side. This should take around 5-10 minutes depending on how thin you slice the pears, I found using a platte knife really helps flipping them over. Once cooked take them out of the frying pan carefully to cool. 
3. Once the rice has been cooked through, add the sugar, butter and egg yolk and mix through. 
4. Cook through for another 3 minutes and leave to cool for 3 mins.
5.Spoon the rice mixture into the lined moulds and place in the fridge for about 2 hours or until set. 
6. Carefully ease the rice pudding out of the mould and place on a plate. 
7. Place the pears decoratively on top of the pudding and eat. 

Happy Baking!

Fat Friday #43 Olive Oil Bread

I'm not sure if olive oil bread really counts as a Fat Friday, tastes amazing though. Its been very busy here in the world of Penny, so I stuck with something easy to make, if a little time consuming, but the proofing time, provided me extra time to do other bits and pieces. (I'm still gutted that my camera isn't working so sadly, no picture.) 

As I said this olive oil loaf isn't hard but is a little time consuming, with the proofing and all. It uses olive oil to knead the dough rather then lots of flour.

Bread dough (Recipe Adapted from The Great British Bake Off Showstoppers by Libby Collister):

·500g strong white flour
·2 teaspoons sea salt flakes, crushed
·1x7g fast action yeast
·350ml lukewarm water
·3 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for kneading
·100g green olives, drained
·50g manchego cheese, diced

Equipment:

·Baking sheet lined with baking paper
·Doily
·Bowl
·Clingfilm
·Sieve
· Roasting tin

Method: 
1.Mix together the flour, salt, and dried yeast in a bowl.
2.Add the water and work with your hand to make a soft looking dough. Cover with cling film and leave to rest for 15 minutes.
3.Turn out the dough on an oiled surface, oil your hands and knead the dough for 4 minutes. Cover the dough with clingfilm and leave to rest for 20 minutes and knead for another 4 minutes.
4.Combine the olives and cheese, then work into the dough. The dough should be soft but not sticking to your hands.
5.Transfer the dough to the baking sheet and pat out until an oval shape (1.5 cm thick and about 20cm wide). Cover with cling film and leave in a warm place for 40 minutes or until doubled in size.
6.Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven 230c/450f/ Gas Mark 8. Place the baking sheet and roasting tin into the oven. Place the dough onto baking paper.
7.Uncover the dough, dust a little flour on top to decorate, or place a doily on top and dust a little flour on top with a sieve.
8.Carefully pull the baking sheet out of the oven, and slide the dough onto the baking sheet and put into the oven.
9. Pour some cold water into the roasting tin to create a burst of steam and close the oven door fast.
10.  Bake the loaf for 20 minutes until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack and eat the same day, warm.
Have a great weekend!

Fat Friday #42 Chocolate Banana Loaf Cake

Happy Friday everyone! This week is another fail-safe recipe that is excellent for snacking on while revising or hosting a party. Actually, what made me make this recipe was a lazy attempt to make some for a D and D party. *Thats Dungeons and Dragons to you non-players* We play with a group of friends wanting to be hero's for the evening. If you want more information on it I can pop that in the another post. 

But we're focusing on this super easy banana cake which is very more-ish and was loved by the whole group during our D and D quest for the evening.

Recipe: Makes one loaf cake (Adapted from The Primrose Bakery Cookbook by Martha Swift and Lisa Thomas)

Ingredients:

• 125g unsalted butter, at room temperature (plus a little extra to grease the tin)
• 250g caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 250g plain flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3 bananas, the riper the better
• 175g of dark chocolate, chopped into thick chunks

Equipment:

• Large loaf tin, greased and lined with a little butter
• Bowl x 3
• Chopping board
• Knife
• Masher or a fork
• Electric hand held whisk/wooden spoon
• Wire rack 

 Method:

1.Preheat the oven to 180c/350f/Gas Mark 4. Grease and line the loaf tin.

2.Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. 

3. Add the eggs, one at a time mixing very well after each addition.
4. Mix in the vanilla extract, then the flour and baking powder. 
5.Mash up the bananas in a separate bowl and add then to the cake batter.
6.Add the chopped up dark chocolate and beat briefly.
7. Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf tin and bake in the centre of the oven for 50 minutes or until the cake is completely cooked through. 
8.Leave in the tin to cool on a wire rack. 
9. Serve warm or cold along with a D20 dice and, if your lucky, an D10 inspiration dice!

Have a great weekend!  

Fat Friday #41 Homemade Pizza Dough

Nothing is better then a takeaway pizza. However have you noticed that its got more and more expensive to grab a pizza? Its much more economical to make your own. Its surprisingly easy to do, better for you and saves money. Not to mention the fact that you can customise it to whatever you fancy! 

Dough recipe Makes enough for 2 pizzas(adapted from Student Cookbook by Sam Stern)

• 450g strong white flour, plus a little extra
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 x 7g fast action dried yeast
• 300ml water
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Toppings:

•    Tomato purée
•    Edamame cheese, grated
•    Blue cheese, crumbled
•    Green, red and orange peppers, chopped 
•    Button mushrooms, chopped
•    Jalapeños   (you can use whatever you like however!)

Equipment:

•        Large bowl x 2
•        Cling film
•        Baking sheet lined with a little olive oil
•        Optional: Desk top whisk with the dough hooks attached
•        Sieve
•        Grater
•        Knife
•        Chopping board
•        Rolling pin

 1.    Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Add the sugar, yeast, water and oil. Work together using your hands. (Add a little extra flour if the dough is sticky.)

2.    Knead the dough on a floured surface for 10 minutes or place in a tabletop whisk with the dough hooks attached for 8 minutes.

3.    Place the dough in a clean bowl, cover with cling film and leave to prove for 1 hour in a warm place until doubled in size.

4.    Once proved knead for a further 2 minutes.

5.    Put the oven to 230c/400f/ gas mark 6.

6.    Cut the dough into 4 (freeze 2 of the doughs so you have some for another day) and roll out into a thin base on the lightly oiled baking sheet.

7.    Leave the dough in a warm place to rise for 10 minutes. Cover with cling film.

8.    Spread a little of the tomato puree onto the base of the pizza and spread your desired toppings.

9.    Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the base is crispy and the cheese is melted. Serve hot or eat cold.  

Enjoy your pizza and have a good weekend!

Fat Friday #39 Triple Chocolate Cookies

Its the cookie in its ultimate form! Dark, milk, white and caramel buttons all in one biscuit. These cookies are ideal to take into work at a party for snacks or fuel for revision. (Or do what I did, and horde them away to eat when you need a chocolate fix) 

Recipe: Makes 25 cookies (Recipe adapted from Primrose Bakery Christmas by Martha Swift) 

•      200g unsalted butter, softened
•      250g golden caster sugar
•      1 egg
•      1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•      150g dark chocolate
•      320g plain flour
•      1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
•      ¼ teaspoon baking powder
•      150g roughly chopped milk chocolate
•      50g caramel buttons
•      50g roughly chopped white chocolate

Equipment:

•     Baking sheets lined with silicone paper x 3
•     Saucepan with a little water
•     Heatproof bowl
•     Bowl
•     Sieve
•     Wooden spoon/handheld whisk
•     Wirerack

1.Place the dark chocolate in the heatproof bowl and place over the saucepan of warm water. This will melt the chocolate.

2. Meanwhile sieve flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl and set aside.

3.Cream the butter and sugar together, in another bowl,until creamy and fluffy.

4.Add the vanilla and egg to the creamed mixture.

5.Pour in the melted chocolate until combined.

6.Lastly, add the dry mixture and fold into combine into a soft dough. Place in the fridge for the dough to firm up for 10 minutes.

7. Preheat the oven to 180c/160f/Gas Mark 4 in the meantime.

8. Portion the dough into 25 small balls and squash until flat and about 1cm thickness. (If you want to be precise, their about 28g per cookie).

9. Place 5 or 6 cookies on a baking sheet, to allow the cookies to spread. Bake for 5 minutes, turn the trays around and bake for a further 4 minutes. The cookies should be firm on the outside but still a little soft in the middle.

10. Leave the cookies on the baking sheets to cool for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

Have a great weekend and happy baking!