Chocolate, Peanut Butter and Caramel Cupcakes with a Shortbread Biscuit

Such a long title but these cupcakes are simple and uncomplicated!

Now, quite annoyingly I have now moved to London and have not brought this particular recipe with me ... big whoops!  So I will tell you how I made them, what components are involved and I'm sure you will be able to recreate them!

I made these cupcakes for my mums Birthday she's not a sweet tooth but she loves peanut butter and Reese's peanut butter cups so these were my invention for her!

So what is involved ... Chocolate and peanut butter cupcakes, ganache, caramel, peanut butter icing, shortbread biscuit and peanut butter cups!  It sounds like a lot and I guess it is but this cupcake is not hugely time consuming like it may sound and all these yummy individual elements come together to create the 'mother' (yes, yes, I did that) of all peanut butter cupcakes.

I made my own peanut butter cups but I also bought some of Reese's miniature's.  If you would like to make your own it's simple.  Melt chocolate, I used dark but you could use milk.  Then pour into cupcake liners of your desired size, (Small is best and silicon is handy for this too) line the edges with the chocolate and leave to set.  Once set spoon in peanut butter, I like crunchy in mine!  Then to finish off cover with more melted chocolate.

Simple these make great treat and if you use dark they are even healthier :)

Apologies for not posting a recipe but basically you want to bake a batch of chocolate cupcakes or chocolate muffins.   The recipe I used was more muffin like, I think this helped them to not be sickly, but a butter based cupcake would be nice and rich if you can take that.  Place a spoonful of peanut butter in the batter/mix and bake :) yum!!!

I was experimenting so made some with peanut butter some without.... The peanut butter definitely wins out, I mean look at it, it's beautiful.

Then you will need to assemble ...requiring, ganache, caramel, the peanut butter cups, peanut butter, butter icing and the optional shortbread, these are a nice addition but not essential, I just wanted to spell out mum.

Spoon on your ganache making a slight hollow in the centre for the caramel to sit.  Then pipe around the edge of your cake with some of the icing, essentially make a wall.  Then fill the space in the middle with caramel, then pipe the rest of the icing in your normal fashion.  Top with your peanut butter cups an the optional shortbread.  Caramelised peanuts would also be amazing on top of this cupcake!!!  Mmmmm Heaven!!!

Baby shower cupcakes

I recently made cupcakes for my friends baby shower. Having decided not to find out the baby's sex before birth she wanted both blue and pink for her cupcakes. 

I decided to ice some blue, some pink and some both.  If you would like recipes please don't hesitate to get in touch but for this post I will just be explaining how I did things. 

To create a two coloured piped icing you need to mix up both your icing colours. Then fill one side of the piping with one colour and then fill the remaining side with the other. Basically when you have done this you should be able to see when you hold your piping bag vertical half is blue and half is pink. Squeeze the icing until both colours come through at the same time. Then ice as normal. 

For decorations I made fondant icing letters and roses. For the letters I rolled out the icing and then used alphabet cutters to cut out icing letters speeding Baby Roberts. 

I had never made icing roses before. To be honest I rarely work with fondant but these were surprising easy to make and I think they turned out really well. 

I watched a really helpful tutorial on line. I suggest you watch it. http://youtu.be/1R8MsL-5oKA 

I would say you will need more petals than she uses. I basically made quite a few and just kept wrapping them around until I reached the size of rose I wanted. 

I didn't use a plastic wallet also I used a ziplock bag. 

Another technique I used was covering the cakes with fondant icing rather than a buttercream swirl. You can also find many tutorial for this online. 

Now this video is a little odd but bare with her she's actually rather good and I found it quite helpful. It's the same principle as I used. http://youtu.be/bxOuEzS6aFs

If you have any questions please comment or message me. I am happy to help or just hear from you!! 

The cakes went down a treat and I have already been asked to do more baby showers !!! 

Sweet Trees

Sweet Trees are basically edible topiary!

Sweet trees make great gifts and decorations.  They will provide a little something extra to sweet tables at weddings and parties and they also make great gifts. 

I wanted to get two of my old tutors gifts for helping me with my university applications and interview's and just generally being good to me.  I decided to go with something edible but I wanted something with a bit more personally and with more wow factor than a box or chocolates or a bottle of wine. 

So I decided to make them sweet trees.  One was female and one was male but I wanted to thank them both equally so this was a great gift idea as I could make one more masculine than the other, but they would both be getting the same gift in the end. 

These can be quite time consuming but they really are worth it!

You Will Need
(for one)

1 Polystyrene Ball (whatever size you like)
Approx. 1ft of Wooden Dowling
1 pack Tissue Paper about 3/4 sheets
Glue, I used Mod Podge with glitter, but you could use PVA or any glue that drys clear
Paint
A Mug or Plant Pot
Cocktail Sticks
Polystyrene or Oasis
Sweets, here I used Ferrero Rochers, amount will depend on the size I used about 50
Wired Ribbon
Pins

First steps, cut your dowling to your preferred length, remember this will be sitting inside the mug/ pot and the ball.  I chose to have it a foot long.  Then paint your dowling, I used gold paint which compliments the Ferrero Rochers and adds extra sparkle. 

The next step is to cut a hole in the ball to fit your dowling rod.  After you have done this use the tissue paper and glue to cover the ball.  You can use whatever colour you like, I choose a brown/ gold for the male and a hot pink for the female.  You may need a few layers to get a good coverage.  Let dry thoroughly. 

Now make your roses, I used these for my female tree.  Pull some of the wire out from on side of the ribbon, so it gathers the fabric.  Then start to wrap the gathered ribbon around on itself until you have a flower shape.  Keep going until you have reached a size you like, then tuck the end of the ribbon under and glue or sew to secure.  You can make them as big or small as you like and you can make however many you like also.  Once you have made them either pin or glue them onto your ball in the way you think looks best. 

For the other style of tree I gathered up the ribbon using the same technique as with the roses and then I began to wrap it all over the polystyrene ball, pinning it in place as I worked. 

Insert your dowling into your ball. 

Take a cocktail stick and make a hole in your ball, take it out and then stick one end into your sweet or ferrero rocher and then put the other end back into the hole in the ball you just made.  I found doing it this way was the easiest and most flaw free way of putting the ferrero rochers onto the ball.  Do this until your ball is covered. 

Cut your polystyrene or oasis to fit in your pot/ mug and also cut a hole in the middle for the dowling.  Then assemble.  Use a sheet or however many you need of tissue paper over the top to make it look nice and hide the polystyrene / oasis. 

Finally Tie a bow using your ribbon around the 'stem' of your 'tree'! 

All done and I bet it looks amazing and whoever is lucky enough to be receiving it will LOVE it!

You can use whatever sweets you like, I really want to do a marshmallow one and a lollipop one which I think would look wicked!

Monkey Cake Pops

Right my little Coco Pops here is a long over due post on how to make these very cheeky, monkey cake pops. Perfect for small and big kids a like, these are great for both men and boys. So treat anyone you are bananas about (awful awful joke) to these cheeky cake pops! 

Don't be daunted! They are simple enough to do and they taste wonderfully chocolatey. 

Right my little Coco Pops here is a long over due post on how to make these very cheeky, monkey cake pops. Perfect for small and big kids a like, these are great for both men and boys. So treat anyone you are bananas about (awful awful joke) to these cheeky cake pops! 

Don't be daunted! They are simple enough to do and they taste wonderfully chocolatey. 

You will need 

(To make approximately 30) 

30 Chocolate cake pops on sticks

1 bag chocolate Candy Melts 

150g approx Renshaw Ready to Roll icing in a suitable shade of brown/ tan 

Chocolate chips 

30 peanut butter / tan candy melts if you can get them 

I made these in two stages. I made my decorations, eyes, ears, mouths etc one evening whilst bored and then made the cake pops the next day. You could make them all the same day easy. They don't take tool long once you get the hang of it. 

Make small ears using the Renshaw icing. I used the tip of a teaspoon to get the basic ear like shape then I just smoothed it round the edges and used the tip of the teaspoon again to make an ident in the ear. Make enough pairs so that you will have enough for however many cake pops you are making. 

Next create small balls of icing and squash to create a flat round for your eyes. You can either use melted chocolate, brown or black paint or food marker pen or chocolate chips for the centre of your eyes. I used chocolate chips. 

Now all that's left to make are the mouths. If you were lucky enough to be able to find some peanut candy melts then use either paint or marker pen or some melted chocolate in a bag to draw on a cheeky smile and some nostrils. If you like me couldn't get hold of any tan candy melts then you can use the ready to roll icing. I covered a chocolate candy melt with the ready to roll icing as this gave a nice shape. The. I drizzled the nose and lips on with chocolate. 

Once you have these components made dip your cake into the melted chocolate candy melts and then place on your features. 

These really are quite simple and great fun!!! 

Easy Peasy White Chocolate and Rasberry, Brioche Pudding!

This is such a quick and easy recipe that seriously anyone can do and it will take about 5 minutes to make and 30 to bake. 
 

I can't take credit for this recipe as it is actually my mum's, it is basically a bread and butter pudding style dessert made with brioche, raspberries, eggs, creme fraiche and white chocolate.
 
You will need, Brioche, Frozen Raspberries, Three Eggs, Creme Fraiche and White Chocolate Buttons.

You can really make it any size you need so there is no exact measurements.
 
Tear up your Brioche and layer in an oven proof dish, then sprinkle with the raspberries and white chocolate buttons. I haven't given you any measurements as it also depends on what you like. For example my brother likes less fruit, I like more. My mum likes less white chocolate, I like ... yes, more!

 

Depending on the depth of your dish you can repeat the process by doing another layer on top, that is what I did.

Then you need to make your liquid mixture. Crack three eggs, (if you make a smaller pudding any less than about a pack of brioche use less mixture so say two eggs and smaller quantities of the other liquids as well) into a bowl or jug and beat, then add about a tub of creme fraiche, if you like you can always make this pudding a bit more grown up by adding some liqueur, limoncello is good.

 

Pour this all over your pudding, leave to sit for 5 minutes, then bake in the oven. I have an aga so it went in the top (about 180DegreeC) for 10 minutes and then down in a cooler oven for about 20 minutes. I would suggest you know your oven best but cook at about 150DegreesC for 30 mins.

You should see the top has browned slightly and the liquid has set, a bit like baked custard. This can be eaten Hot, Warm or Cold.

I took this to a friends dinner party for desert and it when down a treat, alongside a lot more chocolate (cause we were all girls) and a cheesy movie, The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants!

Precious Cargo :)

Enjoy :) It's a Must

Caramel Macchiato Cupcakes!

It seems I had a baking stroke of genius when I decided to make these, people just can't get enough!

These are coffee, caramel cupcakes ... Yum!  They look beautiful and contain a yummy gooey caramel surprise in the middle :) Pause for the drooling!

You will need:

125g Butter (Goats butter for cows milk free)
125g Caster Sugar
125g Self-Raising Flour
2 Large Eggs
2 Tbsp Camp Coffee Essence

For the Filling and icing:

125g Butter
250g Icing Sugar
2 Tbsp Camp Coffee Essence
Approx 200g Caramel
And decorations of your own choice

I used, Dr. Oetker soft gold pearls, milk and white chocolate stars, edible gold stars and chocolate.

1.  Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. 

2.  Add one egg at a time mixing after each addition. 

3.  Sift the flour into the bowl and add the coffee essence, gently fold together. 

4.  Spoon the mixture into twelve cupcake wrappers in a baking tray. 

5.  Bake at 180 Degree C for approximately 15 minutes.  Until a skewer comes out clean. 

6.  Leave to cool in the tray for 5 minutes then transfer onto a wire cooling rack. 

7.  Once cool, use a knife or a cutter to remove the middle of the cakes, not through to the base. 

8.  Spoon caramel into the empty space. 

9.  Cream together the butter, coffee essence and icing sugar, you can use an electric mixer if you like and transfer into a piping bag. 

10.  Pipe the icing on top of the cakes.  You can pipe as much or as little as you like. 

11.  Then decorate.  I melted some dark chocolate to drizzle on top, you could use milk or not use at all.  Using dark adds a bitterness that some people like.  If you are going to do this I suggest doing it before you put on your decorations for the nicest look. 

 

 

 

 

TAAA DAAAAA!

Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Muffins with Lavender Icing

I thought I would post this recipe which is one of my favourite recipes that I make over and over again.  These my bee's are Butternut Squash muffins.  Yes Butternut Squash, the veggie!  Don't be fooled by that they taste amazing and go down a treat.  Don't worry if you don't like butternut quash either because that honestly doesn't mean you won't like these.  I have also made the same recipe with pumpkin before which worked just as well. 

They sound strange, I know, but they taste amazing.  Plus you can always justify these little pieces of heave by saying 'It's got vegetables in it!' Bonus !

If you have a food processor these are so easy to make, but don't worry if you don't have one you can still make them as I did before I got a processor. 

You will need:

400g Butternut Squash
350g of Demerara Sugar
4 Large Free Range or Organic Eggs
2 heaped tsps Baking Powder
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
Pinch Salt
Handful of Nuts ( walnuts are really good, I actually quite like Brazil nuts if I have them in I really think they add something)
160ml of Olive Oil


1.  Start by processing 400g of butternut squash, skin on until finely chopped. If you don't have a processor you can always put it in the oven to bake it until it is soft enough for you to scoop the flesh out and mash it. 

2.  Add 350g of demerara or soft brown sugar and crack in 4 large free range or organic eggs.

3.  Give it a quick pulse or stir to combine. 

4.  Then add 300g of plain flour, 2 heaped teaspoons of baking powder, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, a pinch of salt, the handful of nuts and finally 160ml of olive oil.

6.  Mix this all together until combined. Don't over work the mixture, you just want to combine the ingredients nicely.

This mixture should make over 12 muffins. I normally make 18 out of this, but last night when I made them I  made 16 larger ones.

7.  Use muffin cases and fill to about 3/4 of the way, then bake. I have an aga and I just put them in the middle to bottom of the top oven and bake for about 30 minutes, really I bake by eye so look for the signs. (This is equivalent to about 180/200 Degrees C I believe.)

8.  You want them nicely coloured and crisp on top and use a skewer to see if they are cooked all they way through. If you don't have an aga I would suggest putting them in the oven at 180 and then just cook with love like i do. If you watch them and check them then you will be guaranteed gorgeous muffins in the end :)

9.  Once your muffins are done and looking gorgeous like the ones above, remove them from the oven and cool on a wire cooling rack.

10.  When the muffins are cool you can now ice them.

I suggest making the icing while you wait for them to cool, give you something to do. I never use measurements when I make icing I just tend to do it by eye. 

For these muffins I just make a slightly runny royal icing with icing powder and either lemon or orange juice. Make up the icing and then add some of the zest of the lemon or orange and also, get ready to feel surprised, some lavender!

This is a photograph from my travels to the Isle of Wight taken in the gardens at Osborne House, how beautiful is it?

Yes, Lavender!  I love it, I think it makes them very unique and personally I think the lavender compliments the muffins perfectly.

11.  You can either add the zest and lavender to the icing or just sprinkle on top. 

I really hope someone reads this and bakes these muffins, I just love them!!!!

My First Commission with Instructions and Loads of Pictures

After posting some photos of my Easter Cake Pops on my facebook I received a request for more of the same for an Easter egg hunt. 

I made the same, chicks and the two butterfly variations but then I also decided to get some fondant icing and make some extra decorations. 

I bought some lilac ready to roll icing and I already had some appropriately themed spring cutters. 

These were a very small daisy shape flower and three different shapes of butterfly.  The butterfly's also left a pretty imprint detail. 

 

 

Roll out using a dusting of icing sugar on your surface and rolling pin to stop it sticking.  

 

 

Roll out about 3 mm thick.  The choice is yours really, but that's what I did.  

 

Then cut out your shapes :) I did two different things with my butterfly's. 

With some I placed them in folded tin fold to shape them and others I just left lay flat.  Folding them makes the more fragile but can make them look more realistic. 

 

 

To decorate the butterfly's I used a few different methods.  Some I wetted with water and then covered with edible glitter and some I pressed sugar pearl balls into. 

 



I did all this before I made the cake pops so it gave them a change to set a bit. 

I used the same method as with the other cake pops, using the candy melts as glue. 

 

 

I wrapped them all in cellophane covers tied with Easter ribbon.  I hope the kids (and the big kids) have fun with these.  I've already had a WOW text message so I'm very pleased :)