Fat Friday #29 Quick Valentine Hearts (plus more 4 bonus cheap valentine ideas)

Its Friday the 13th and your forgot Valentines day? Unlucky huh? Opps you're in trouble now, well don't worry. You've got just over 12 hours to do something special. This weeks Fat Friday is a quick and fast Valentine recipe to impress your date. You can bake them a cake or use a plain shop bought cake if your super stretched for time. But by decorating with dark velvety ganche, you'll add a special touch to your cake. Also featured in this post are 4 more cheap and cost effective ways to spend Valentines day!

Heart Shaped Cake covered with chocolate ganche recipe:
Your sweethearts favourite cake baked into a square tin: Try using one of these recipes:
Salted Caramel Brownie
Red Velvet Cake
Blondies

Chocolate ganche recipe (my own)

• 200g dark chocolate
• 285g double cream

Equipment:

• The baking equipment needed or a pre-made cake to cut
• Saucepan
• Wooden spoon
• Heatproof bowl
• Cranked palette knife or plain knife for spreading ganche
• heart shaped cutter
• Sharp knife

1. Bake your huni buni their favourite cake (Robs favourite is Salted Caramel Brownie) and let it cool completely.
2. Once cold, using a heart cookie cutter, cut out a heart shape, using a sharp knife. You should be left with lots of yummy off cuts and heart shaped mini cakes.
3. To make the ganche, heat up the double cream in a saucepan until its hot but not to boiling point.
4. Pour the hot cream on the dark chocolate and mix in until combined with a wooden spoon.
5. Once thickened up, spread on top of each heart and smooth until the sides and top are evenly coated.
6. Place your coated hearts in the fridge and serve with raspberries or strawberries and ice cream or whipped cream.

Other great (cost effective) valentine ideas
1. Create a date night jar- Grab a small jar and a some paper and write down some suggestions for a perfect day between you and your partner. You can class them by price or location if you like. Fold them up and place them in the jar. You can decorate your jar with glitter, sequins or anything you see fit.
2. Lazy meal deal- Many supermarkets now offer Valentine Meal deals, in which you pay, lets say £20 for a 3 course meal and wine. This is a cheap alternative to a meal out. Shop around the supermarkets for the best deals. Most of the time the meal deals are a 'throw in the oven' type of meals ensuring that you and your other half can enjoy some time together.
3. The scenic route- Do you have a park or a beach near you? Take a walk together without your mobile phone (or at least on silent) so your not disturbed. Get re-acquainted with your other half.
4. Movie night in- Grab a cute jar/box, add popcorn, crisps, a bad for you cheesy dip, chocolates, fizzy drinks and a couple of decent films. Instant night in, plus a great gift! Get films that you and your other half will really enjoy and veg out on the sofa.  

Have a Happy Valentines Day whatever your doing!

Fat Friday #26 Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate

This recipe has been a long time coming. I was asked back in 2014 for a decent recipe for a salted caramel hot chocolate. I've been testing and tasting various different combos and I found one that finally works. Its thick, creamy, on the right side of salty and with an intense hit of chocolate. If this hot chocolate recipe screams FAT FRIDAY!!! 

Recipe: Makes 2 large servings (Caramel recipe loosely adapted from Primrose Celebrations by Lisa Stuart and Martha Swift and the Hot Chocolate Recipe very loosely adapted from Boutique Baking by Peggy Porschen)

Caramel:
·110g granulated sugar
·3 tablespoons water
·125ml double cream
·1 teaspoon Maldon sea salt

Hot Chocolate Mix:

· 125g plain chocolate, broken into pieces
· 2 teaspoons cocoa powder, (plus a little extra for dusting on top)
· 125ml whipping cream
· 300ml whole milk
· 2 tablespoons of the above salted caramel sauce

Equipment:

·Saucepan x 3
·Fine sieve
·Serving glasses or mugs
·Heatproof bowl
·Measuring jug
·Whisk
·Wooden Spoon

Caramel Method

1. Place the granulated sugar and water in a saucepan on a medium heat. Do not stir the mixture but just swirl it once and a while.
2.While the granulated sugar is boiling, pour the cream and salt in a small bowl to heat gently.
3.Once the granulated sugar has turned an amber colour, remove from heat and immediately add a little cream.
4. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine, be careful as it may spit.
5. Add the remaining cream in small amounts, stirring constantly. Once all the cream has been incorporated, transfer into a separate bowl to cool.

Hot Chocolate Method

1. Place the cream, milk, salted caramel sauce in a saucepan and simmer.

2. Place the chocolate into a mixing bowl and sift the cocoa powder.
3.Once the cream mixture is hot, pour over the chocolate and cocoa powder and whisk until fully incorporated.
4. Return the mixture to the saucepan again, just to heat again. Taste to see if you like the amount of salted caramel. Add a tablespoon at a time if needed.
5. Pour into mugs or heatproof glasses. Consume and enjoy the chocolate hit.
6. (Sieve a little cocoa powder on top of each glass using a stencil and sieve. To add optional cuteness)

Have an amazing weekend!

Fat Friday #23 Salted Caramel Cupcakes

Happy New Year Folks! Oh my goodness! Its the new year already? Oh crap, here come the new year resolutions. I might do a separate post on my new year resolutions (if any!). So this is the first Fat Friday of 2015.... take that diet new year resolutions! Also I have to apologise for the lack of a photo. The file got corrupted during editing and I had to delete the original, so sorry about that. Great start to the new year, enjoy this recipe!

Recipe: 12 cupcakes (Recipe adapted from Primrose Celebrations by Lisa Thomas and Martha Swift)   

Cake:

·110g unsalted butter

·225g golden caster sugar

·2 large eggs

·1 vanilla pod, with the seeds scraped out

·120ml whole milk

·150g self-raising flour

·125g plain flour

·1 bar of caramel galaxy chocolate bar

Buttercream:

·110g granulated sugar

·3 tablespoons water

·125ml double cream

·1 teaspoon Maldon salt

·200g butter

·400g icing sugar

Equipment:

·12 hole muffin tin lined with tins
·Hand whisk/wooden spoon
·Bowl x 3
·Knife
·Chopping board
·Saucepan x 2
·Jug
 
 Method
1.Preheat the oven to 180c/350f/gas mark 4. Line the muffin tray. 
2.Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
3.Add the eggs, one at a time and mix until combined.
4.Place the vanilla seeds and milk in a jug.
5.Combine the flours in a separate bowl.
6.Add the flour and milk mixture in thirds, one at a time and mixing in between, into creamed mixture.
7.Carefully spoon the cake mixture into the paper cases. Add a piece of chopped up galaxy bar to each cupcake and push it down into the cupcake.
8.Bake for 25 minutes until slightly raised and golden. Leave the cupcakes to cool in the muffin tray for 10 minutes. Then place on a wire rack to completely cool.
For the butter cream
1.Place the granulated sugar and water in a saucepan on a medium heat. Do not stir the mixture but just swirl it once and a while.
2.While the granulated sugar is boiling, pour the cream and salt in a small bowl to heat gently.
3.Once the granulated sugar has turned an amber colour, remove from heat and immediately add a little cream.
4.Stir with a wooden spoon to combine, be careful as it may spit.
5.Add the remaining cream in small amounts, stirring constantly. Once all the cream has been incorporated, transfer into a separate bowl to cool.
6.Once the salted caramel sauce is cooled, beat it with the butter. Add about half of the icing sugar and beat until combined.
7.Add the rest of the icing sugar until smooth.

To finish

1.The cooled cupcakes with a swirl or with a piped rose and sprinkle with glitter and decorations that you like.

How did you enjoy your new year? Did you do anything special?

Christmas Eve Cooking

Baking at the last minute? Or just want to make something festive at this time of year? Here is the blog's rundown of festive recipes!

 Stained Glass Cookies

 Christmas Tree Cupcakes

 Killer Snow Woman Cupcakes

Yeti Cupcakes

Snow Day Cupcakes



Yule Log Cake

Banoffee Cupcakes

 Chocolate Orange Tart

Salted Butter Toffees

 

So that's my Christmas baking list! Have a really great Christmas eve, a merry Christmas and I'll see you on Boxing Day with Fat Friday!

Merry Christmas

 

 

 

Banana and Salted Caramel Soy Smoothie

I found out recently that fruit smoothies are meant to be bad for you. I mean, just when you find an easy way to get 1 of your 5 a day or is it 1 of your 7 a day now? When you blend fruit together in a smoothie, all the sugars in the fruit go directly into your blood stream and gives you a sugar rush... and then a sugar crush. Its always better to eat the whole fruit, unblended.  In the meantime this smoothie will have to do, its not good for you but its very tasty and good for a chocolaty fix. I used Hotel Chocolate's Salted Caramel and Pecan Spread because its so tasty blends really nicely into a smoothie.

Recipe: Makes 4 little smoothies to drink or 2 for very greedy people

·       400ml Soy Milk
        2 teaspoons matcha green tea powder (I use teapigs Matcha)

·       4 teaspoons of dissolvable fibre power (I used Benefibre)
        5 tablespoons Hotel Chocolat Salted Caramel and Pecan Spread/(or peanut butter).
        2 Bananas, chopped and frozen 
       (if using peanut butter blend 2 tablespoons of cocoa power to add some chocolatey goodness) 

Equipment:

·       Blender
        Freezer

·       Teaspoon

·       Tablespoon

·       Chopping Board
        Knife
        Baking Sheet lined with baking paper/silicone paper
        Glasses

1. Cut up the banana and place on a lined baking sheet and place into the freezer and leave for 3 hours or until frozen.
2.Put all the ingredients into a blender and whizz until fully combined and thick.
3. Pour into glasses and slurp.

Have you ever used up some bits in the fridge to make a smoothie or shake?

Dangerously Addictive Salted Caramel Brownies

Now watch your waistline. These brownies are addictive. I mean these are totally worth the extra effort and make a great snack when you're studying. 

I just about got a piece, before my boyfriend ate about 3/4's of the whole brownie on his own! I nearly lost a finger. Yes these brownies are dangerously addictive. Eat at own risk. 

Seriously though, these brownies are easy to make and earn you, dare I say it?, extra brownie points! The brownies I did wrestle out of Robs greedy salted caramel fingers were brought into work and people had an "Ahh this is good" moment. 

Also with a little cream these brownies make an excellent dessert. So take a break from revision, just like I did and bake these worth it squares of salted caramel heaven.

Recipe: Salted Caramel Brownie (Adapted from The Little Book of Lunch) 

For the Brownie Mix:

·       350g dark chocolate (I used leftover Easter Eggs so any chocolate will do!) 

·       200g unsalted butter, softened (plus a little extra for greasing)

·       450g golden caster sugar

·       4 eggs

·       100g plain flour, sifted

For the Salted Caramel:

·       75g unsalted butter

·       50g soft light brown sugar

·       50g caster sugar

·       50g golden syrup

·       125ml double cream

·       1 tsp Maldon sea salt

Equipment:

·       23cm square cake tin, greased and line with greaseproof paper

·       Electric mixer/hand-held electric whisk

·       Sieve

·       Heatproof Bowl

·       Saucepan x 2

·       Bowl

·       Knife

·       Tablespoon

·       Teaspoon

1.    Pre heat the oven to 170c/325c/ Gas mark 3. Grease and line the tin.

2.    In a heatproof bowl placed over a very small amount of boiling water in a saucepan, melt the chocolate and butter.

3.    While the chocolate is melting, make the salted caramel. To do this you need to put the butter, sugars and golden syrup in another saucepan and place on a low heat until it melts. Leave to bubble gently for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Take off the heat and stir in the cream, then return to the heat and cook for another 3 minutes. Take off the heat again and add the sea salt. Taste, but make sure it’s cool first, and add more salt if needed. Leave to one side. Caramel done.

4.    For the brownie, in a bowl beat the eggs and sugar until creamy and shiny. Gently mix in the melted chocolate and butter mixture and fold in the sifted flour.

5.    Drizzle 1/3 of the caramel mix into the brownie batter, mixing roughly so its not completely combined.  

6.    Spoon ½ of your remaining caramel into the cake tin then pour over the brownie mix. Top with the last of the caramel and smooth with a knife.

7.     Bake for 50 minutes until shiny and crispy on top. To make sure the brownies are cooked, stick a sharp knife in. If it comes out clean-ish then it’s ready. Leave to cool.

Rob ate more than 3/4 of the whole thing!

8.    Cut into small (but indulgent) squares. If your transporting in a cake tin line with greaseproof to prevent the squares from sticking. 

Put your feet up and relax with a cup of tea and a warm salted caramel brownie. Ahhh....

(P.S Don't forget to fill out the bigger, better blog survey before the end of the month here)

Salted Caramel Cupcakes and My 'Primrose Friwend'

A couple of days ago I went to one of my favourite haunts in London with my friend Lauren. Both being keen bakers, we always get a buzz when we go into bakeries and moonch our way through cakes and sweets. One of our favourite haunts?

Primrose Bakery in Covent Garden. 2 cappucinos and 2 cupcakes later, we saw something that we had to have.

No it wasn't the uber cute cupcake grey jumpers that the bakeries sell, its not that cold in the UK yet. Nor the sweet aprons, we both have lovely aprons. No. It was a Primrose Bakery KeepCup. We saw it and we wanted it! Both being coffee buffs as well as cupcake buffs, we both had the same thought:

Its so damn cute and it carries coffee. I am willing to pay anything to have one. 

So we walked out with a Primrose Bakery KeepCup and a free coffee which was a nice bonus as well. We now have a running joke of being: Primrose Friwends (You must say it in a silly voice and holding up your coffee mug/cup/shoe) 

Getting back to the post however, we both have excellent tastes of course, so we both got the same cupcakes. (You know the saying about great minds, there mental.) Salted Caramel Cupcakes. Wow... they were just yum... yet it was something I've never thought to make.

As mentioned in a previous post, I'm officially qualified check out the picture below. Aren't you all so proud? 

To celebrate I made something I never tried before and now am a little obsessed with. Salted caramel cupcakes. I've made caramel, but never tried to incorporate it into a cupcake or cake. The most trickiest part is making the caramel. 

With caramel there is always a burn risk as well as burning the caramel and wasting the ingredients. This caramel may take a couple of attempts, especially if your not familiar with making something like this. So here's the warning: Don't be silly enough to walk away from the caramel or have small children in the kitchen because they expect you to share the food.  

Recipe: Makes 12 cupcakes (Recipe adapted from Making Cupcakes with Lola)

·       250g plain flour, sifted

·       1 teaspoon baking powder

·       ¼ teaspoon sea salt

·       125g unsalted butter, at room temperature

·       185g light brown sugar

·       1 teaspoon vanilla extract

·       2 eggs

·       150 ml natural yoghurt

Salted Caramel

·       180g golden caster sugar

·       90g unsalted butter

·       120ml double cream

Buttercream

·       250g unsalted butter, at room temperature

·       75ml milk

·       730g icing sugar, sifted

·       7 tablespoons of the salted caramel sauce (This seems like a lot but I really like a rich caramel frosting. Taste as you go when it comes to this frosting)

·       A little sea salt, to taste.

·       Chocolate sprinkles, if you like!

Equipment:

·       Large heavy-based saucepan

·       Electric whisk/ Wooden spoon

·       Bowl

·       Jug/ small bowl

·       Sieve

·       Teaspoon

·       Muffin tray lined with 12 cupcake cases  

·       Whisk

·       Piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle/ palette knife

1.    Pre-heat the oven to 180c/350f/Gas Mark 4 and line a 12 hole muffin tray with cupcake cases.

2.    Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.

Step 3. Butter, sugar and vanilla beaten together

3.    Put the butter, sugar and vanilla in a bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer until pale and fluffy.

Step 4. Add the eggs one at a time. 

4.    Add the eggs one at a time. Beating well after each addition.

Step 5. Completed batter

5.    Add the sifted dry ingredients and natural yoghurt in alternate batches mixing after each addition, until combined.  

Step 6. fill the cases 2/3 full

6.    Carefully spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases, filling them two-thirds full. Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes until slightly raised. To check they are cooked, insert a skewer in the centre of one of the cakes-it should come out clean.

7.    Remove from the oven and carefully place on a wire rack to cool.

Salted Caramel filling:

Step 1. Don't stir just swirl

1.    Scatter the sugar evenly over the base of a heavy based saucepan and set over a medium heat. DON’T BE TEMPTED TO STIR. If you want to check how the sugar is doing, give the pan a swirl around once and a while.

2.    Once the sugar has melted and the colour has gone a light amber colour, remove from the heat.

3.    Add the butter and cream and whisk thoroughly until combined.

4.    Transfer the mixture into a jug or bowl to help the sauce cool down faster.

Buttercream

1.    To make the buttercream, put the butter into a bowl and beat with a wooden spoon or electric hand whisk until soft.

Step 2. Add the salted caramel to the icing mix

2.    Add the salted caramel sauce you've just made and then beat in the icing sugar. Beat on a low speed using an electric whisk or use a wooden spoon.

Step 3. Add the milk until well combined

3.    Add the milk in until well combined and add a little salt if you like, for taste.  

To Finish

1.    Once the cupcakes are completely cold, make a hole in the middle with a teaspoon.

2.    Fill in the hole with some of the caramel sauce. Place a portion of the cake back on top of the filling.

3.    Spread or pipe the buttercream on top of the cupcakes. To finish off, drizzle some of the caramel sauce and sprinkle some chocolate decorations. 

There is nothing like the sweet salty taste of a caramel cupcake. I did share these with my loved ones (they saw them so I couldn't eat them all myself. Remember this Lauren: PENNY DOESN'T SHARE FOOD!!! So I was a little ticked I had to share). I also gave some to my good friend Lauren, because it would be cruel if I didn't. Especially if I posted this and she read it and was like:
    "Ahh! She made them and didn't share! This is unacceptable! No more nice cakes for you then!!" 
    So Lauren you shall be forever known as my 'Primrose Friwend'. I'm not even sorry. :D
    Bake on!