Banana chocolate muffins.

Have your bananas gone a little bit past their munching date? No fear, the banana chocolate muffin recipe is here! (That sounded less lame in my head). By mashing up your overripe bananas, you can create something beautiful - aided by chocolate, of course. Handy to grab as a quick breakfast, as we all know (all together now) "breakfast is the most important meal of the day". 

This recipe makes 12, and will freeze easily - just leave them to defrost naturally, they'll go soggy if put in the microwave.

Recipe adapted from The Londoner

Ingredients:

• 230g self raising flour
• 150g caster sugar
• 1/2 Tsp. salt
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 2 large overripe bananas, mashed
• 1 Tsp. good quality vanilla extract
• 3 Tbsp. Nutella or equivalent (I used Whole Earth Lightly Whipped Chocolate Spread), warmed 

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 170 C. Prepare your cupcake tins. In one bowl, mix the flour, sugar and salt. Add in the beaten eggs and mix well. Add in the bananas and stir until the mixture is totally combined - don't over mix or the batter will become doughy.

2. Divide your mixture between your cupcake tins, and add a dollop of warmed Nutella into each cupcake case (about 1 Tsp. each). Using the end of a spoon, swirl the Nutella around until it looks chocolatey. 

3. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool slightly and demolish - they're really good slightly warm! 

Popcorn cupcakes.

We had a family party on Saturday to celebrate my brother's 18th (he's 19 but missed his 18th by being in America - plonker). I was definitely on kitchen duty - the dishwasher was exhausted by the end of it all! 

Mum asked me to do nibbly bits, and what's nicer than a cupcake? Oh I don't know, maybe a cupcake smothered in buttercream, caramel sauce and toffee popcorn? Yeah, that'll do.

Ingredients:
225g caster sugar
1 Tsp. vanilla extract
225g plain flour
1/2 Tsp. bicarbonate of soda
1 1/2 Tsp. baking powder
1/2 Tsp. salt
110g butter
2 large eggs
50g Greek yoghurt (avoid low fat versions)
200ml whole milk

Equal quantities butter and icing sugar for the frosting, as well as a store-bought caramel sauce and a small bag of toffee popcorn. 

Method:
1. Heat oven to 175 C. Mix the sugar with the flour, vanilla extract, bicarb, baking powder and salt. Add the butter and mix until crumbly.
2. In a separate bowl, lightly whisk the eggs and Greek yoghurt until smooth. Add this to the flour mixture and mix until just combined. 
3. Slowly add in the milk. 
4. Fill cupcake liners until they are 1/2 full - this is important as they expand quite a lot once in the oven! Bake for about 14 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. 
5. Once cool, make the buttercream by mixing equal parts butter and sugar. Add more sugar to taste. Smother the buttercream on the cupcakes, then drizzle on the caramel sauce. Decorate with popcorn and munch! 

Lightened Up Broccoli Tart

I was asked to make something fairly healthy that my family could easily take to work/uni for lunch, so I immediately thought "broccoli". Not only is it the tastiest vegetable (not open for debate!), but it's high in iron and protein and for my gym-obsessed cousin that's just the ticket. I say this is "lightened up" as the recipe called for 250ml double cream, which I replaced with 0% fat plain yoghurt - bit of a difference!

Recipe adapted from The Great British Bake Off recipe book.

For the pastry: 

200g plain flour

100g cold unsalted butter

50g walnuts, finely ground (this adds a nice nuttiness you don't often get in a tart)

4-5 tbsp. ice cold water

For the filling:

1 head broccoli, cooked al dente in salted boiling water

250ml natural yoghurt (or substitute crème fraiche) 

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 tsp each of parsley, smoked paprika and herbes de provence

150g grated cheese (I used Cornish Gove but Cheddar would work just as well) 

Instructions:

1. For the pastry, tip the flour and butter into a bowl with a pinch of salt. Rub the mixture together with your fingertips until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Stir in the walnuts.

2. Add the water one tablespoon at a time until the mix comes together and looks like a dough. Knead the pastry then rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

3. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

4. Roll the pastry out between two sheets of cling film, remove the cling film and use the pastry to line a 25cm/10in tart tin.

5. Line the pastry with greaseproof paper, fill with baking beans and bake for 10-15 minutes. Remove the baking beans and greaseproof paper and bake for a further five minutes, or until pale golden-brown.

6. Whilst the pastry is baking, mix the yoghurt with the crushed garlic and herbs. 

7. Once the pastry is pale golden-brown, assemble the broccoli on the tart base, then smother on the yoghurt mix. Top with the grated cheese. 

8. Bake in the oven for around 35-40 minutes (less time if you're using a small tin) until cooked through. 

This made enough for one large and one small broccoli tart, with pastry left over, which I filled with leftovers from the fridge - chorizo, Boursin and coleslaw. 

Cheddar beer bread.

I live in a little cul de sac surrounding a mini post office, and every Friday all the neighbours gather for a drinky-poo in the post office at 5pm. And little drinkies call for something to munch on! One of my neighbour's does the best onion bhajis which he brings often, and others make cakes, but I try to never do the same thing twice (unless asked!). So for this week, I've made a cheddar beer bread, with a honey butter. It's more of a sweet treat than a normal savoury bread; kind of like a brioche-sweet. Try it and let me know what you think! 

My mum had a slice before I managed to get a snap of the whole thing! 

Recipe adapted from Aldi

Ingredients:

390g plain flour

2 Tbsp. caster sugar

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp garlic powder

2 Tbsp. agave nectar

1 small bottle light beer 

50-75g grated cheddar (depending on how cheesy you want it - plus a bit more for sprinkling on top)

3 Tbsp. butter at room temperature

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients together, excluding the cheese. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees C.

2. Add the beer. It may look a bit dry but keep mixing and it'll all come together, I promise!

3. Throw in the cheese and agave nectar. Stir until mixed but be careful not to over mix! It should just look like a sticky dough. Put it in a greased bread tin (or with parchment in like I did) and sprinkle some more cheese on top.

4. Whack it in the oven. Check it after 30 minutes, but it'll probably be closer to 40 minutes before it's done. After 30 minutes, glaze the top of the bread with the butter and pop it back in the oven.

5. To see whether it's cooked, stick in a long wooden skewer - if it comes out clean, it's cooked. Serve warm with my honey butter!

Honey butter:

120g butter

2 Tbsp. honey

salt (if using unsalted butter)

Put all the ingredients in a bowl and, with an electric whisk, whip it up! 

Mary Berry's Mincemeat Streusel.

So yes, I'm a bit late with this, but better late than never! And what with all the supermarket sales you're bound to get some mincemeat super-cheaply, so why shouldn't you treat yourself to more Christmassy delights? I mean, Christmas is only 342 days away! (Sorry.) Recipe taken from the BBC Food website.

Ingredients: 
For the pastry:

• 175g/6oz plain white flour
• 1½ tbsp icing sugar, sifted
• 100g/3½oz butter, cubed, plus extra for greasing

For the topping:

• 75g/3oz butter
• 75g/3oz self-raising white flour
• 40g/1½oz semolina
• 40g/1½oz caster sugar

and 2x 500g jars of mincemeat.

Mince pie and mulled wine - the epitome of Christmas!

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6 (fan 180C) and grease a 23x33cm/9x13in Swiss roll tin or equivalent.
2. For the pastry, sift the flour and icing sugar into a mixing bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
   Watch technique0:46 mins
3. Add just sufficient cold water to mix to a firm dough - if you prefer this can be made in a processor. If time allows, wrap the dough in cling film and chill for about 30 minutes.
4. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pastry to a rectangle slightly larger than the prepared tin, then line the base and sides of the tin with pastry.
5. Trim the pastry level with the top edges of the tin and patch any gaps if necessary.
6. Spread the mincemeat evenly over the pastry base.
7. To make the topping, melt the butter and allow this to cool slightly.
8. Put the remaining ingredients into a bowl and pour the melted butter over. Mix together until the ingredients combine to form a dough. If time allows, chill this mixture - this makes grating easier.
9. Using a coarse grater, grate the topping over the mincemeat and spread evenly.
10. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes, or until golden-brown.
11. Cut into 16 slices, dust with icing sugar and serve warm with cream or brandy butter.
    
    
    I will not judge you if you eat it all in one go. Absolutely swear.

Scones.

For the Queen's diamond jubilee we had a street party, and so of course we needed all things British. And what is more British than sitting on a lawn, sipping Pimm's and munching on a fresh scone with jam and clotted cream?

I also made cookies, mainly for my brother because for some strange reason he hates scones. I swear we're not related...

Ingredients:

• 350g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 85g butter, cut into cubes
• 3 tbsp caster sugar
• 175ml warm (not hot) milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
• beaten egg or milk to glaze

1. Preheat oven to 220 degrees Celsius. Tip the flour into a large bowl with a pinch of salt and the baking powder and mix.
2. Add the butter, then rub in with your fingertips until it looks like crumbs.
3. Add in the sugar and mix again.
4. To the milk add the vanilla extract if using. This will give the scones a nice depth of flavour.
5. Make a well in the flour mixture and slowly pour in the milk. Don't worry if it seems really wet.
6. Tip the dough onto a well floured surface, adding more flour to the dough if it's still sticky. 
7. Gently knead the dough, but not too much or it will become tough. Smooth out until it's about 3-4cm deep.
8. Using a round cutter, cut out of the dough and place onto a greased baking tray. Alternatively, cover the baking tray in baking parchment. 
9. Once you have cut all the circles you can out of the dough, fold the dough again and flatten. Cut out more circles and place on the baking tray. 
10. Brush the scones with the milk or beaten egg and cook for around 10 minutes. 

Serve warm and enjoy with clotted cream, jam and a cup of tea!

Spaghetti cake.

No, this cake doesn't actually have pasta on it - it's all icing! So if you're willing to take the time to ice this bad boy I promise people will appreciate it, or at least be confused by it.

It was a joint effort by me and Tom for my joint 19th with Alice. It's a classic Victoria sponge with a layer of buttercream and jam on the inside, covered in regal icing, then piped buttercream on top. For the "Bolognaise" it's just jam slopped over the buttercream, with ground almonds which give the effect of Parmesan. It honestly was a lot of fun to make!

Ingredients:

• 300g unsalted butter, at room temperature (more may be needed for the "spaghetti" depending on how much coverage you get done!)
• 200g caster sugar (same applies here!)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 medium eggs
• 200g self-raising flour
• 150g (or more) icing sugar
• 1/2 jar raspberry jam (or strawberry if you prefer)
• sprinkling of ground almonds

1. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius. Grease 2 sandwich tins.
2. Place 200g of the butter and 200g sugar in a bowl and cream. Add the vanilla extract and mix that in.
3. Slowly beat in the eggs, one at a time.
4. Sift in the flour and fold it in. Sifting makes it lighter so I would actually do this! I know it makes more washing up.. Sorry.
5. Divide the mix between the two sandwich tins and place in the oven. Check after 15 minutes but it'll probably need another 5-7 minutes. Stick a fork in to check if it's ready - if it comes out clean it's cooked.
6. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool.
7. When completely cool, spread a layer of jam on top of one of the sponges. 
8. Make the buttercream. Use the remaining 100g of butter and mix with the icing sugar until it resembles a creamy colour and tastes sweet. You may need to use a lot of icing sugar!
9. Spread this on top of the jam and sandwich the other sponge on top. This is your classic Victoria sponge.
10. Roll out the regal icing and cover all of the Victoria sponge. Neaten up the base by swiping a knife around the base to cut off any overhanging pieces of icing.
11. With the remaining buttercream fill a piping bag. You may need to make more buttercream. 
12. Now for the fun part! Ice all over the regal icing in a manner resembling spaghetti. Overlap, curl it around - it doesn't have to be neat!
13. When you are happy with your pasta and none of the regal icing is showing, spoon on the jam. Arrange this so it looks like pasta sauce, then sprinkle on the ground almonds.

And there you have it! 

Better than Millie's? Millie's Cookies.

Woah, big statement, right? Trust me. Make these, and your bank balance will be thanking you every time you think about popping to Millie's..

They don't snap when you bend them, they're gooey on the inside but still crisp on the outside.. To me, these are the perfect all-American cookies. Try them out for yourself! 

Remember to take them out of the oven BEFORE they look cooked - they'll keep cooking once out but if they look cooked they'll be more biscuity.

Ingredients:

• 125g butter, softened
• 100g light brown soft sugar (demerara sugar is too bitty)
• 125g caster sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• a little vanilla extract if you fancy
• 225g plain flour (self raising works too if you prefer a fluffier cookie)
• as many chocolate chips as you want! The more the better in my opinion!

1. Preheat the oven to 170-180 degrees celsius. 
2. Cream both the brown sugar and the caster sugar with the butter, then add the egg and vanilla essence. Resist the urge to eat it all now.
3. Sift in the flour. Do try and sift, as this makes the cookies light and airy.
4. Add your chocolate chips. Maybe eat a few before they make it to the mixture..
5. Roll into small balls (about the size of a mint imperial) and place on greaseproof paper. Space them out well - you don't want them all merging together like mine did! Unless of course you want one massive cookies. Yes please.
6. Cook for either 7 minutes if you want them really gooey and soft, or about 10 if you want them golden around the edges.
7. Dunk in a cup of tea and enjoy. 

Rose fairy cakes.

Now I don't know about you, but I don't understand when or why fairy cakes became cupcakes.. So these are my fairy cakes - simple fairy cakes with a dash of rosewater. Perfect for Valentine's day! 

I made a simple batch of 12, half with just rosewater and half with chocolate flakes (I used Charbonnel et Walker's CHOCOLAT CHARBONNEL which is actually a hot chocolate drink).

For twelve fairy cakes:

• 100g plain flour
• 100g butter
• 100g caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• drop or two of rosewater
• couple of teaspoons of cocoa if using

1. Heat oven to 180 degrees celsius.
2. Cream the butter and sugar together with a whisk or a spoon (it will take a touch longer with a spoon!)
3. Sift in the half flour and one egg and mix that together.
4. Sift in the other half and the last egg and mix together.
5. Add the rosewater as you would vanilla essence. 
6. Spoon half into paper cases in a baking tray. Add the cocoa if using and mix in, then spoon the rest in. If not using cocoa just spoon in the rosewater mix into all the cases.
7. Leave for 10 minutes then check. Every oven is different so don't rely entirely on times. You may need another 5 minutes. When you stick a fork through and nothing sticks to it when it comes out then you know it's done.

Now for the fun bit!

• 25g butter
• 25g cream cheese - DO NOT use low fat. The high water content will prevent the nice texture you want for icing.
• 50g icing sugar
• Pink/red food colouring

1. Mix all the above ingredients together. Simples!
2. Using a large nozzle which has a cross at the tip, fill the bag with the icing mix.
3. When icing, hold the bag with your strong writing hand at the top. Use your other hand merely as a guide. Think of it as squeezing a tube of toothpaste - you start at the top and roll your way down.
4. Start the icing in the centre. Squeeze lightly and hold for a moment in one place so you get a pretty rose in the middle. 
5. Move up and around the fairy cake with the icing bag. Stay close to the original rose - you will need to go round one and a half times or even twice. 
6. To finish off stop squeezing but carry on moving round the fairy cake. This will give it an authentic and professional looking finish. 

 If you're feeling really adventurous get a smaller nozzle and add some leaves, using an upwards motion (at about 70%) with your hand. Use the same icing but with green food colouring instead of pink. 

The number of fairy cakes you eat in one go is up to you.. Enjoy!