May Birthdays

Happy birthday to Pink Bytes. It has been 1 year already, since the girls of Violet's Pantry persuaded me to start a blog. Being a two finger, search and peck typer, each post I do takes me ages, but I am getting quicker. Just wish those keys on the keyboard would stay in the same place. Ha Ha.

A special THANK YOU should go to a few Food Porn sites I am a member of. TasteSpotting, FoodGawker, RecipeMuncher, Food Photography and Serious Eats. All these sites and a few more can be found in my side bar. And also a BIG Thank you must go to Ron of The Merlin Menu for showing me the light, pun intended ha ha. See post on Light box.

And a special THANK YOU goes to YOU, my visitors, my supporters, my followers. I love reading the comments you leave.

20th of May is my Dad's Birthday. A special Dad indeed, a chosen Dad in fact.(Too long a story to go into here, but glad he came in to our lives) A truly lovely man who is there for you any time with loving advice and support. HAPPY BIRTHDAY M.

And I have left the best to last. My dear cyber friend B. has her birthday on the 28th of May. She has given me encouragement and support over a few years now, she writes the blog TEA and Wheaten Bread (also in my side bar) Please go and visit her, for some delish recipes for scones, breads and cakes. Thank you B. And HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

The first 3 pictures were obtained from Google images (Thank you)

Chocolate Cola Cake

I am totally in love with James Martin, a yorkshire lad who knows his way around a kitchen, and the way to my heart with a wonderful selection of cakes and desserts. This cake is from his book called DESSERTS
I did change the icing a little though, used softened butter only and added the icing sugar cocoa and cola, then mixed until smooth. The sugar flowers on top of my cake are from my 50th birthday cake and were not made by me.

Ingredients:
oil, for greasing
250g self-raising Flour
generous pinch of Bicarbonate of soda.
3 heaped tbsp unsweetened Cocoa powder.
300g golden Caster Sugar
2 Eggs, (beaten)
1 tsp Vanilla extract
250g Butter.
175ml Cola
250ml Milk.

For the frosting:
200g Icing Sugar.
100g Butter.
2 tbsp Cola.
2 tbsp unsweetened Cocoa powder.


Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas 4. Grease a 24cm loose-bottomed cake tin.
2. Sift the flour into a bowl. Mix in the bicarbonate of soda, cocoa powder and sugar.
3. Stir in the eggs and vanilla extract.
4. Put the butter in a saucepan and melt over gentle heat.
5. Add the cola to the butter and stir to mix, making sure mixture does not boil. Stir in the milk and remove from the heat.
6. Quickly whisk the cola mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix gently but thoroughly.
7. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin. Bake for about 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
8. Leave to cool in the tin for about 15 minutes.
9. Meanwhile, make the frosting. Sift the icing sugar into a bowl. Put the butter in a saucepan and melt over gentle heat. Stir in the cola and cocoa powder. Bring the mixture to the boil, then pour it over the icing sugar. Beat until smooth.
10. With the cake still in the tin, pour the frosting over it and leave in the tin until completely cool.
Hope you enjoy this cake as much as I did, have eaten 2 pieces now in an hour. YUM YUM

Yummy, Gooey, Fudgey Slice.

This is so easy, and can be made up, chilled and sliced in well under an hour. Very sweet, and fudgey, and very moreish.

The recipe..
8 oz of Butter.
8 oz of Sugar. (I used half brown and half white)
8 oz of Digestive Biscuits (crushed)
1 tin Condensed Milk (395 gms)
8 oz melted Milk Chocolate (I had more 'cos wanted a thick layer on top)

How to make..
Line a Swiss roll tin with foil and crush the biscuits, set a side.
Melt the butter, milk and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to the boil and continue boiling for 3 - 5 minutes. Add in the crushed biscuits and stir. Melt the chocolate over simmering water in another saucepan. Pour the milk/biscuit mixture in to the prepared tin and level out with a spatula. Then pour the melted chocolate over the mix in tin and again, level out. Decorate with sprinkles or coarsely grated chocolate. Chill in the fridge. When chilled, remove from pan and slice to your desired size. Stores well in the fridge for a few days in a covered container. I bet you don't just make this the once.
Next time I shall try different biscuits, like ginger snaps maybe, and change the chocolate from milk to dark.

Award time (Premios Dardo)

After a little blog research I have managed to find that Premios Dardo translates from Spanish to mean Dart Award in English and that it can really mean one of two things when given to a blogger.
1..This award acknowledges the values that every blogger shows in his or her effort to transmit cultural, ethical, literary, and personal values every day.
2..The Premios Dardo is designed to recognize unique voices and visions on the Web as well as to promote fraternization amongst bloggers of all sorts. (Copied directly from George of
http://culinarytravelsofakitchengoddess.wordpress.com/)
GEORGE, thank you so much for this award, very happy to receive this and pass it on, as the rules state, to five other bloggers.
So they can partake in the excitement that I have, as soon as possible and in no particular order, they are...
Kerry of....http://kerry-meandmythree.blogspot.com/
Rose of....http://bakingcakesgalore.blogspot.com/
Sarah of....http://thehankeringpalate.wordpress.com/
Granny of....http://teandwheatenbread.blogspot.com/
Ron of....http://themerlinmenu.blogspot.com/
Again, THANK YOU GEORGE and the chosen five, please come and get your award.

Ginger Crunchies

These actually come from NIGELLA EXPRESS and have been made by Coby from
http://vipantrywedonthaveablogblog.blogspot.com/ So she asked the question about rice malt syrup, which is used in the original recipe. "Yes," was the reply from NIGELLA, "You can use Golden Syrup instead." Yay, that's two people that are happy now down under, as we can't get Rice Malt Syrup. I also left out the quick cook oats as I didn't have any and upped the amount of cornflakes and rice bubbles. And another twist, I added crystallised ginger finely chopped. To give a more adult feel and taste to them. Here is the original recipe..http://www.nigella.com/recipe/recipe_detail.aspx?key=L&rid=157
And here is what I used.
50g Milk Chocolate.
150g Golden Syrup.
55g Butter.
80g Rice Bubbles.
50g Cornflakes.
75g Sesame Seeds.
75g Crystallised Ginger.

Method.

Melt the chocolate, syrup and butter gently in a heavy-based saucepan.
Add all the other ingredients, turning to coat everything well.
Using your hands (encased in latex CSI gloves)(I didn't, wanted to lick my hands and the bowl once I had finished), shape the mixture into walnut-sized balls. You should get about 25; you could also make this using 2 x 12-bun muffin tin lined with muffin papers to get 24 cupcakes.
Let them set in the fridge for an hour or so, and they will keep quite happily in there for a week of treats.
As you can see, I made them into little cupcake treats and got 24.
Now, a funny story.
My hubby is a coal miner, each Thursday night shift the men have a little party to celebrate the end of the week. So at *breaktime* there are these fully grown great lumps of men in the *crib* room, all in their very dirty overalls, head gear and lamps on, sitting around a table eating the goodies of the day. Some take in soft drink, or crisps, sausage rolls and chocolates. My hubby is taking in these tonight (Ginger Crunchies) Hope you enjoy them guys.
Please remember I said Coal Miners. So they are underground about a kilometre down. Can you imagine it? Scare the poo out of me!

Anzac Day 25th April.

ANZAC BISCUITS.
Traditional biscuits baked by anxious mothers and wives during World War 1, packed in food parcels and sent to the Australian soldiers in the trenches. Ingredients.

1 cup Rolled Oats.
3/4 cup Desiccated Coconut.
1 cup Plain Flour.
1 cup Sugar (I used brown)
125g Butter.
2 tablespoons Golden Syrup.
1/2 teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda.
1 tablespoon Boiling Water.
1 tablespoon *Wattleseed. (I added this but you don't have to)

Method. Preheat oven to 150c and line 2 cookie trays with baking paper.

Mix oats, flour, sugar and coconut in one bowl together. Melt together the butter and syrup in the microwave if you wish, or as I did, in a saucepan over heat. Mix the soda with the boiling water and add to the melted butter mix. Now add the butter mix to the dry ingredients and mix together well with a wooden spoon. Place 1 tablespoon full of the biscuit mixture on to the baking tray. This should make around 35 biscuits. Flatten with a fork and do leave room for spreading. Bake for 20 minutes. Allow to cool on trays.

*Wattleseed is a truely delightful spice from the Australian bush. Has a flavour of rich coffee, chocolate and hazelnut. Mine was given to me by Sharon in Melbourne. Thank you. You can get it from here. www.spicebazaar.com.au

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.

Recipe Muncher is back

So very good to see you back with us, we have missed you.

Did you have tummy troubles with all that munching you do? LOL.

Dark Chocolate Brownies.

Hevz's Chocolate Brownies again. Sorry. But I did make these ten months ago and blogged them then. Yes, I have made them lots of times in between then and now, but these are the very best. I used dark chocolate and white chocolate chips, then dusted with a cocoa/icing sugar mix.
For those of you that would like the recipe (there can't be too many people out in blog land that haven't made these. LOL) Here it is again.

Ingredients..
100g/4oz Butter.
50g/2oz Cocoa Powder (I use Green and Blacks)
2 Eggs.
225g/8oz Caster Sugar.
1 tsp Vanilla Extract.
50g/2oz self-raising Flour.
50g/2oz white chocolate chips (I usually use choc chunks, they're bigger)

Method...
1-Preheat oven to 180c/350f/gas 4
2-Take a shallow baking tin, approx 23cm/9inch square, and line the bottom with non-stick liner or baking parchment (very important you do this).
3-Melt the butter, then add the cocoa powder, stirring well to remove any lumps (I use my mini whisk)
4-Beat the eggs in a large bowl, add the sugar and mix until smooth.
5-Stir in the cocoa mixture, white choc chunks and the vanilla extract and mix well.
6-Add the flour and mix gently with a spoon, be careful not to over mix.
7-Pour mixture into the lined baking tin and place in the middle of the oven for about 25 mins.
When done the brownies should be crisp on top and soft in the middle. Leave to cool for 10 mins in the tin before turning out onto a board and then cutting into squares.

This time I doubled the recipe, used 100gs Dark Chocolate 86% chopped and the white chocolate. Instead of the caster sugar, I used dark soft brown sugar. And dusted with the cocoa/icing sugar mix.
So why have I blogged them again? Well, I just love using my light box, learning new things with it all the time. See my labels to find out more about it.

Chocolate Cake (Oxfam)

Chocolate cake, sandwiched together with cherry jam and Chantilly cream. 175g (6oz) plain flour.
3tbs Fair Trade cocoa.
1tsp baking powder.
1tsp bicarbonate of soda.
150g (5oz) fair Trade golden caster sugar.
1tbs black treacle.
2 eggs.
150ml (5fl oz) vegetable oil.
150ml (5 fl oz) milk.
apricot jam, cream or butter icing to finish.
Method..
Preheat the oven to 160C/325F/Gas3 and grease 2X18 cm. (7inch) cake tins.
Mix all the dry ingredients together in the food processor and whiz the ingredients until thoroughly blended.
Add the liquid ingredients and process again scraping the sides of the bowl until they are all incorporated. If you do not have a food processor you can do it by hand.
Pour the mixture into tins and bake in the oven for 45mins. Cool and sandwich with apricot jam, cream or butter icing - whatever you prefer.

This is a recipe from Michael Barry. He was one of the first TV cooks to give publicity to Fair Trade products. This recipe is from Oxfam's Fair World Cookbook, published by Cassell in 1997.

I used St. Dalfour's Black Cherry conserve and a Chantilly cream to sandwich my two halves together. And dusted with icing sugar.

Chocolate Fudge Baskets

Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes made into little baskets for Easter. Coloured pipe cleaners got from a craft shop have been used. So easy and loads of fun. Ingredients..
140g Butter (softened)
140g Caster Sugar.
3 medium Eggs.
100g S.R. Flour.
25g Cocoa (sifted)
Method..
Preheat the oven to 170c, and place cases on a tray, I got 18 out of this mix. Cream the butter and sugar together in your mixing bowl. Add eggs 1 at a time and mix in well. Sift the flour and cocoa together and put into bowl. Fold in the flour until well combined. If at this stage, you think it is a little dry, add a small amount of milk. I added about a tablespoon full.
Put the mix into the cupcake cases and bake in the oven for around 15 minutes. Then cool on a wire rack and start on the fudge icing.

For the Icing.
85g Milk Chocolate (broken in to small pieces)
85g Butter (soft, also broken in to small pieces)
140g Icing Sugar.
Put the chocolate in to a glass bowl and melt the choc over simmering water.
Cream the butter and icing sugar together. Then beat in the melted chocolate.
When the cakes are cooled, spread on the fudge icing.







Decorate however you like. I used small chocolate Easter eggs covered in foil. But you could use Maltesers, candy type eggs or make a nest with coconut that is shredded and place an egg in the middle. Last, cut the pipe cleaners to the required length and bend to form a handle. Poke two little holes either side of the cake and put in your *handle*.

Mocha Fudge Brownies

If you like Brownies, then why not try these. Mocha Fudge Brownies.
Ingredients..
Brownies.
1/2 cup Shortening (Copha)
1/2 cup Butter.
1 cup Cocoa.
2 cups Caster Sugar.
1 tablespoon hot Water.
4 teaspoons Instant Coffee.
4 Eggs.
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract.
1 cup S.R. Flour.
1/2 teaspoon Salt.
Icing..
1/2 cup Butter.
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract.
2 cups Icing Sugar.
1 and 1/2 tablespoons Milk.
2 teaspoons Instant Coffee.

Method..

Preheat the oven to 180c. Line a 9 x 13 inch baking tray with tin foil and grease it lightly with some butter. Melt butter and shortening in the microwave. (Please note, if you can't get shortening, just use butter, 1 cup in all)

Pour melted butter in to a large mixing bowl, add cocoa and blend in well. Add sugar and mix well again. Dissolve coffee in hot water and mix in to the cocoa mixture.

Add eggs one at a time and beat in well by hand. Stir in vanilla, sifted flour and salt.

Pour mixture in to prepared baking tray and smooth out evenly.

Bake for 25- 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to get cold.

While the brownies are cooling, make the icing.

In a bowl, cream the butter and vanilla. Add the icing sugar and beat on medium speed. Dissolve the coffee in the milk and add to the mixture, beat until light and fluffy. Spread over the cake. (Make sure it is cold) Cut in to slices and then lift out from the baking tray. Or lift out and cut in to slices, which ever you find easier.

I dressed mine with Chocolate coated Coffee Beans which gave another taste and texture to this delicious Brownie.

The Chocolate coated Coffee Beans were got from http://www.byronbaycoffeeco.com.au/

I dare you to stop at one slice. (Mine's all gone, in two days)

Tablet.

This recipe was given to me by Rita from Scotland, have looked at it several times over the past month, but was too scarred to tackle it. Having never tasted it, I really wasn't sure of the texture to achieve. Rolling boil and setting point also really made my palms sweaty. But, it's made, it's set, and it's stored, but not for long as this is simply DELICIOUS. Tablet. (The recipe)

2lbs Granulated Sugar.
1 tin Nestles Condensed Milk. (Large) *(395g)
1 cup of Milk.
2 ounces Butter. (Cut in to small chunks)
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract (But this is optional, I did use it)
Method....
First, grease an 8 inch by 10 inch tray with some melted butter. I melted it in the microwave and brushed it on.
Put all the ingredients (except the tinned milk) in to a HEAVY based saucepan, and melt REALLY slowly until there are NO grains of sugar left. Avoid stirring vigorously as you will push grains of sugar up the sides of your pan and end up with a gritty tablet.

Once it has melted, add the tinned condensed milk, and take to a ROLLING BOIL. This will change colour too, almost a toffee colour is fine. Keep this rolling boil up for around 20 minutes, being very careful not to burn and boil over. Test a drop of the mixture in a glass of cold water. It should BALL. (Not dissolve as mine did the first few times) Once BALL has been achieved, take it off the heat.

Now this is where you get working really hard with a wooden spoon. Although being the true Scottish lady that I try to be (LOL) I used my SPURTLE. You will feel it thicken as you beat. This did take quite a while, so in the end SPURTLE got a rest and in came my electric hand mixer for one minute. Once thickened, pour in to your prepared tray. and leave to set. Mark it before it is totally set and cold. Will make for easier cutting later.

I have another SPURTLE that is currently going around the world and seeing the sites. If you wish to learn more about SPURTLES please visit.....http://theadventuresofmrbertielspurtle.blogspot.com/

The texture of the tablet should be, slightly crunchy on the outside, smooth and creamy on the inside. And just melting on the tongue. Fudge like, but BETTER.

Please note edit, to the weight of tin required for this recipe.