Author: Emma Hawkins

Chocolate Fondant Mug Cake

Chocolate Fondant Mug Cake

One of my favourite things to make is a chocolate fondant, but when you’re feeling low you don’t want to spend time baking – good thing this mug cake adaption only takes 5 minutes! For an added treat I’ve added dried cranberries and chocolate chips to this one, but you could leave them out or add something completely different if you’d like!

Recipe

Makes 1 large mug cake

Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 50g butter
  • 75g dark chocolate
  • 60g light brown sugar
  • 50g plain flour
  • 1 egg

Optional extras:

  • 25g milk chocolate chips
  • 25g dried cranberries
  • (You could also try nuts, other dried fruit, fresh berries and sweets)

Method

  1. Put the butter and chocolate into a bowl or mug and microwave for 20 seconds. Stir to combine the butter and chocolate as much as possible. If the chocolate hasn’t melted enough put it back into the microwave for another 20 seconds and then stir again until smooth.
  2. Add the sugar, flour, egg and any optional fillings you like. Mix until combined.
  3. Pour the mixture into a mug and microwave for 2 ½ minutes.
  4. Enjoy with fresh cream and berries!

Thanks for reading!

Emma x

Peach Melba Iced Fingers

Peach Melba Iced Fingers

Peaches are in their prime right now so it’s the perfect time to be using them in your baking! I love playing off classic flavour combinations, so peach melba (peach, raspberry and vanilla) was my instant go-to when thinking of making something seasonal. These use a homemade peach jam so you could (if making this outside of peach season) use a shop-bought jam if needed! Likewise if you’re short on time you could whip up 300ml of double cream with 1tsp of vanilla extract, then fold through a handful of fresh raspberries to replace the creme patisseries!

Recipe

Makes 12

Time: 3 hours

Ingredients

For the dough

  • 500g strong white flour
  • 50g caster sugar
  • 40g unsalted butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 14g fast action dried yeast
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 150ml warm milk
  • 140ml water

For the crème patisserie

  • 250ml whole milk
  • 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
  • 50g caster sugar
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 10g plain flour
  • 10g cornflour

For the raspberry crème patisserie

  • 250ml raspberry puree
  • 50g caster sugar
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 10g plain flour
  • 10g cornflour

For the peach jam

  • 4 medium sized peaches (about 300g, peeled and de-stoned)
  • 220g caster sugar
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice

For the icing

  • 200g icing sugar
  • 4 tsp cold water
  • 2 drops orange food colouring
  • 2 drops pink food colouring

Method

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 220C.
  2. Place all the ingredients for the dough into a bowl and mix until it comes together to make a soft dough. (If it’s looking a little dry add a little more water, up to 40ml).
  3. Turn the dough out onto a worktop and knead until smooth and stretchy (about 10 minutes).
  4. Tip the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with cling film and leave to rise for about 1 hour, until doubled in size.
  5. Take the dough out of the bowl and knead for 5 seconds to knock the excess air out.
  6. Divide the dough into 12 equally-sized pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and then shape them into fingers about 13cm long.
  7. Place the fingers on baking tray lined with baking paper, (making them spaced out enough to rise, but close enough that they’ll join together when risen – about 2cm between each should do). Cover loosely with clingfilm and leave to rise for another 40 minutes.
  8. Bake the buns in the oven for about 10 minutes until risen and just starting to turn golden brown. Set aside to cool.
  9. Now make the fillings. To make the crème patisserie begin by putting the milk and vanilla into a small saucepan and bring to just below the boil.
  10. Whilst waiting for the milk to warm up, put the sugar, egg yolks, flour and cornflour into a bowl and whisk to make a smooth paste.
  11. Pour the warm milk over the egg mixture in a steady stream, whisking constantly, until combined.
  12. Pour the mixture back into the pan and heat whilst whisking over a medium heat until the mixture thickens. Pour the crème patisserie into a bowl, cover with clingfilm and leave in the fridge to cool.
  13. Now make the raspberry crème patisserie. Put the raspberry puree into a pan and bring to just below the boil.
  14. Like with the traditional crème patisserie, put the sugar, egg yolks and flours into a bowl and whisk until they make a smooth paste.
  15. Pour the warm raspberry puree over the egg mixture, whisking constantly until combined. Place the mixture back over a medium heat and whisk until the mixture thickens.
  16. Pour the raspberry crème patisserie into a bowl, cover with clingfilm and leave in the fridge to cool.
  17. To make the jam take the peach flesh and chop it into small chunks.
  18. Put the peach, sugar and lemon juice into a pan and bring to the boil. Leave to boil for about 20 minutes until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. (You can also check the consistency by putting a plate in the freezer. When you think the jam is ready take the cooled plate, put ½ tsp of the jam onto the plate and put it in the fridge. It should set/wrinkle when prodded. If it doesn’t it needs a bit longer).
  19. Pour the jam into a sterilised jam jar and leave to cool until needed.
  20. Now make the icing. Put 150g of the icing sugar into one bowl with 3tsp of the water, and the other 50g icing sugar and 1tsp into another bowl. Mix each set of icing individually. Then add a few drops of orange food colouring to the large batch and a few drops of pink food colouring to the small batch. Mix until the colours are even through the icing.
  21. Pour the orange icing into a pipping bag with a 1cm round nozzle, and pour the pink icing into a pippin bag with a 1mm round nozzle.
  22. When the buns are cooled cut them in half, placing the tops next to the bases.
  23. Pipe a line of orange icing across the tops of the buns. (If needed you can take a palette knife, heat it by running it under some warm water for a few seconds, then run it along the icing to smooth it out). Then take the pink icing and pipe spots or lines across the top of the orange icing. (If you want you can then take a tooth pick and run it up and down the icing to feather it, but it’s up to you!). Leave for about an hour to set.
  24. Take the peach jam and spread about 1tsp over the base of each bun.
  25. Take the crème patisseries and put them into separate pipping bags with 1cm stared nozzles (or use disposable pipping bags and cut your own nozzles).
  26. Pipe alternating blobs of vanilla and raspberry crème patisserie over the peach jam (I get about 2 of each on each bun).
  27. Place one of the iced tops on top of the bun and enjoy!

Thanks for reading!

Emma x

 

Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies

Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies

Recipe

Makes 24

Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

  • 120g unsalted butter
  • 100g light brown sugar
  • 75g caster sugar
  • ½ tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 medium egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 200g plain flour
  • ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 100g milk chocolate chips
  • 70g chopped hazelnuts
  • 120g Nutella (or other chocolate hazelnut spread)

Method

  1. Line two baking trays with baking paper. Pre-heat the oven to 180C.
  2. Put the butter and sugars into a bowl and beat with a wooden spoon until smooth and creamy.
  3. Add the salt, egg and vanilla and beat again until smooth.
  4. Add the flour, baking powder, chocolate chips, and chopped hazelnuts and mix again to make a smooth dough. (If the dough is looking soft you can place the dough in the fridge for 1 hour to firm up before the next step).
  5. Divide the mixture into 24 equal pieces (mine were about 30g each) and roll each bit into a ball. Place them on the lined baking trays, spaced apart enough so they have room to spread.
  6. Bake for 7-10 minutes until just starting to go golden brown. Allow to cool and then enjoy!

Thanks for reading!

Emma x

Overnight Strawberry Oats

Overnight Strawberry Oats

 

Recipe

Makes 1 large jar

Time: 5 minutes, plus chilling time overnight

Ingredients

  • 60g porridge oats
  • 85ml milk (I used almond milk)
  • 100g strawberry yoghurt
  • 2-3  large strawberries, diced
  • 1 tbsp chia seeds

Method

  1. Mix all the ingredients in a large jar (I used a jam jar).
  2. Cover and let sit overnight to enjoy in the morning!

Thanks for reading!

Emma x

Bakewell Blondies

Bakewell Blondies

Bakewell (almond + cherry) is one of my favourite flavour combos to work into new bakes, especially as you can get so many different types of almonds and cherries! In these I use almond extract, ground almonds and blobs of marzipan, paired with frozen cherries in the mixture and glace cherries on top! All incased in a fudgy blondie cake, studded with chunks of white chocolate!

Recipe

Makes 12 blondies

Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

  • 170g butter
  • 220g light brown sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or extract)
  • 1 large egg
  • 210g plain flour
  • 75g white chocolate
  • 75g marzipan, torn into small chunks
  • A few drops of almond essence
  • 50g cherries (I use frozen as it’s cheaper but you can use fresh if you prefer)

To decorate

  • 50g cherries
  • 200g icing sugar

Method

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C. Grease and line a 9” square tin with butter and baking paper.
  2. Melt the butter in a large bowl by putting it in the microwave for 20 second bursts. Add the sugar and vanilla and whisk until combined.
  3. Add the egg and whisk again to combine. Then add the flour and whisk again to make a smooth batter.
  4. Take the white chocolate and chop it into rough chunks. Then add this chopped chocolate to the blondie mixture. Add the marzipan bits, almond essence and cherries and mix it all together.
  5. Pour the batter into the lined tin. Bake the blondies for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown and still a little fudgy in the middle. Leave to cool and then cut into 12 slices and enjoy!

Thanks for reading!

Emma x