Baking ..my favourite past time

Its been awhile since i posted ,been back at work after a super holiday but im off today..as it is Monday so i decided to bake chunky chocolate shortbread biscuits. I got a book dedicated to all different types of cookies and biscuits, savoury and sweet,from my lovely friend Bella. I hadn't had the chance to try it out..so i did.They are really easy and not too expensive to make,here is the recipe.


INGREDIENTS

1 cup butter
1/4 cup castor sugar
1 3/4 cups plain flour
1 cup cornflour
1 slab of any chocolate (smashed up into chunky pieces)
icing sugar for dusting


METHOD 


Preheat the oven to 170 degrees.
Cream the butter and sugar until soft and pale in colour 
Sift the flour and cornflour and add to the butter, mix until a smooth dough forms.
Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for about 20 mins. 


Roll out the dough to about 1-1.5cm thickness on a lightly floured surface and cut into whatever shapes you can dream of,I chose stars and hearts.
Bake for about 20-30 mins until pale and golden.
Cool and dust with icing sugar..
Enjoy with a yum cup of tea.

mmmmuffins

A weekend away calls for snacks, so i made muffins. Bran and Lindt chocolate chunk muffins to be precise.I did cheat though and used packet bran muffin mix, its just cheaper and so quick.All you need is one packet of bran muffin mix(i used Golden Cloud)eggs, sunflower oil, milk and one slab of lindt milk chocolate..which I happened to have lying around ( you can use any chocolate of your choice)Make the muffin mix and fold in the broken up slab of chocolate and bake, mmm delicious.

Birthday treats

My birthday was on the 2nd June and it all started on the 1st when my most awesome friends throwing me a surprise party where we drank loads of red wine and ate loads of cake..it was lovely!On the day i went to Somerbosch restaurant for lunch with my family, here's what i ate.....

 duck with roasted sweet potato and vegetables and a port jus..delicious

The day ended off with mom making the most delicious roasted leg of lamb with all the trimmings and homemade mint sauce.

 And lastly my sister recently started her own cake business 'cakealishious' and she made me the best cake for my birthday here it is...

Coriander roast chicken

I love love roasts, especially roast chicken, so i decided to do something a little different. Crush whole coriander seeds, black pepper and rock salt and add olive. Stuff the chicken with a whole onion and pierce the skin with a knife, rub with the coriander mix and place on a rack on top of an oven tray and roast at 190 until tender and juicy. Baste the chicken while it cooks with the pan juices.I just served this with garlic roasted potatoes and crispy roast butternut mmm

Cakes of all shapes

These are all a little old but oh how i love to bake! Wish i had more time to do it. So here are a few things I've baked, if you'd like anything for a special occasion or just for fun please let me know...

Chocolate orange cupcakes black lemon icing and vanilla lemon with red orange icing, a wedding present from my sister and I to my mom.



Chocolate chunk cupcakes with dark chocolate butter cream and chocolate filigree.(M for Maxine my lovely friend,it was her birthday)

Vanilla cupcakes with chocolate butter cream and spun sugar.

Chocolate chilli cupcakes with meringue clouds from my 21st picnic.
(these were a joint effort by my mom and I)

 Starry Christmas fruit mince pies from last Christmas.

Chocolate genoise sponge cake with chocolate butter cream,chocolate collar and chocolate cigars.



My obsession with anchors led me to make myself an edible one
chocolate chunk sponge cake with orange buttercream











Mondays are the best..

Breakfast club moved to my place this week so i decided on pancakes ..AGAIN! They're just so good, but this time with crispy streaky bacon and sweet maple syrup drizzled all over..sooo good!

Here's the recipe (really easy and quick)

INGREDIENTS

3 Eggs separated
1 Tsp baking powder
115g cake flour
140ml milk
pinch salt

METHOD 

Mix together the egg yolks,flour,baking powder,milk and salt and whisk till smooth.
Whisk the egg whites until stiff peak (they're ready when you can tip the bowl upside down over your head and the egg stays put) 
Fold the whites into the milk mixture.
Fry ladles full of the mix in a hot buttered pan and flip when the top of the pancake starts to bubble slightly. 

Dinner for five...

After cooking all day at work i often run out of ideas of what to make for dinner..so if your in the same boat here are five ideas for five nights of the week.....enjoy!

Monday night Beef, thyme and garlic burgers with cream cheese mayo,baby pulm tomatoes, rocket and rustic wedges.

A winter Tuesday night... Chunky veggie and lentil soup with a dollop of spring onion cream cheese and toasted Ciabatta bread.

                          


          
 Rosemary and garlic marinated
lamb steaks with roasted crushed potatoes,tenderstem broccoli and pan juices for wednesday.











Thursday nights quick baby plum tomato,basil and garlic  pasta with parmasan sprinklings.

   

    

American style pancakes with blueberry compote and bulgarian yogurt for a friday night treat..

( pancake recipe by Jamie oliver)