Holiday Means Chocolate Muffins!

Recently I have found it very difficult to buy chocolate muffins without the taste of soda bicarbonate running through it! A real bitter taste, not gooey and very dry in the middle.

However I’m have very happy to say that today I found the ideal quick and extremely indulgent and delicious chocolate muffin recipe from Taste Australia.

Both my boys were running around the house so I thought I’d give them a task which they would enjoy. Making chocolate muffins! and then of course eating the final result!  Worked a treat and they were very happy too!

INGREDIENTS

2 1/4 cups self-raising flour, sifted
1/2 cup cocoa powder, sifted
1 cup caster sugar
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs

METHOD

Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Line a 12-hole, 1/3 cup-capacity muffin pan with paper cases.

Combine flour, cocoa, sugar and chocolate chips in a large bowl. Make a well in centre. Whisk vegetable oil, milk, vanilla and eggs in a large jug. Add oil mixture to well (see Cooking class, below). Using a wooden spoon, stir until just combined (don’t over-mix). Spoon mixture into paper cases.

Bake for 25 minutes or until firm to touch and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand in pan for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve.

Recipe from http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/27866/basic+chocolate+muffins

Fresh Cinnamon Rolls

Fresh out of the oven, just now!!!

Recipe adapted from http://minimalistbaker.com/the-worlds-easiest-cinnamon-rolls/

Some Birthday Cake?

I’ve been wanting to make Lamingtons, for quite some time now but when my son said he wanted a chocolate cake with coconut for MY BIRTHDAY…then that worked for me!  I’m just really happy we like the same sweet things lol!

A massive chunky, glossy ganache covered chocolate fudge cake topped off with naturally crunchy sweet coconut! Ummmm loved it! We all did!

I had to share some cake with you all…I hope you enjoy it, as much as we did!  Have a beautiful day friends! See you soon! Much love, D x

Click on the blue link below for the recipe…

My favourite chocolate fudge cake recipe…just top with extra coconut!

Baked after a while…

Omg! The Lemon drizzle cake has made a comeback!

Recipe @ https://shivaaydelights.wordpress.com/2013/08/31/omg-lemon-drizzle-cake/

Cocoa Banana Sponge

Cocoa & Banana both from the tropics is an amazing combination! This sponge cake came out super moist, light and airy.

Both my son and his grandfather enjoyed it. It’s great, that it’s low in fat and the moisture and decadence comes from the lush bananas. Do let me know how you like it. Have a wonderful day, much love D x

INGREDIENTS

150g sugar
2 large ripe bananas mashed
1 heaped tbsp cocoa powder
50g butter
2 eggs
180g self raising flour

METHOD

Preheat oven to 180°c, line and grease a square cake tin

Cream together the sugar and butter in a food processor,  then add in the mashed banana.  Combine well into the mixture

Whizz in the eggs then fold in the flour with the cocoa powder

Pour the mixture into a square cake tin and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the cake sponge

Once done, slice snd serve with a little vanilla ice cream

Mature Cheddar Soufflé with Tefal

It is difficult making soufflés but what if I told you, I have a machine that will not only mix the ingredients but cook the base of the soufflé and all you have to do is follow the simple instructions and place the soufflés to bake.

INTERESTED?  I’ve caught your attention right?!

Ok, so I’m going to take you back to August last year when I was approached by Tefal to trial out a new kitchen product, and what a product it is!  I am now allowed to show this wonderful piece of apparatus as it is about to be on UK shelves in September this year.  It proved to be a very popular and extremely useful tool in the kitchen.

It cooks, chops, mixes, whisks.  Making all types of dishes from your simple sauces to exquisite sweet delicacies. Not forgetting hearty meals that can be prepped and cooked in the one machine, especially for those Autumn and winter nights approaching.  You are able to plug this in, follow the recipe, set the Cuisine Companion, then sit back with a large glass of vino

I will be making many more recipes with the Tefal CC but for now I will indulge your eyes and tastebuds with these mature cheddar cheese soufflés!

INGREDIENTS

40g plain flour
30g butter
500 ml milk
150g grated mature Cheddar cheese
4 eggs
Salt & pepper to taste

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180°c.  Place the flour and milk in the cuisine companion food processor with the mixer attachment.  Season with salt and pepper then mix at speed 7 for 1 minute,  Add the butter, launch the sauce programme for 8 minutes, set at 90°c speed 4

In the meantime separate the egg whites from the yolks.  At the end of the program, throw in the grated cheddar, mix for 1 minute at speed 8.  Combine the yolks in to the mixture and mix for 45 seconds

Pour the cheese mixture into a large bowl and wash the food processor bowl

Place the egg whites into the cleaned bowl, fit with the mixer attachment again.  Start the food processor at speed 7 for 7.5 minutes without the stopper

Grease 6 to 8 small glass ramekins, gently fold the egg whites in to the cheese mixture.  Pour individually up to the top of each ramekin.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, without opening the oven door.  The soufflés will be ready when risen, golden brown and still have a little wobble to them.  Eat immediately for a fluffy sensation

To make soufflés by hand see http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/4805/cheese-souffl-in-4-easy-steps-

Kale~Alternative To Crisps?…Really??

So I was a bit sceptical about kale crisps! But it had to be done.  I love cooking as you know but I don’t like the prep! That’s why I love my food processor so much!

These days we are so very lucky to get prepped fruit and veg ready in bags and washed too…Okay..I’m not that lazy but was tempted to buy a fresh bag of vibrant curly green kale!

What happens next is so so easy…you’ll kick yourself for not trying it earlier!

If you like crispy seaweed..You will enjoy this.  Let me know how you like them..Have a wonderful day, much love, D x

INGREDIENTS

100g curly kale stemmed, trimmed & washed
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp taco/spicy chilli powder mix
Salt to taste

METHOD

Preheat oven to 130c. 

Drizzle the olive oil onto the kale

Massage the salt and spicy mix well into the leaves

Lay out on a large oven tray lined with foil and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until crispy but not burnt

The kale will shrivel so if you want more, repeat the above prices again

Ice & Bananas

Worded Wednesday

We have just hit the magic 11k number in our group “Sharing Food With Shivaay Delights”

If you are on Facebook, please feel free to join us on our food journey, where we share our love of vegetarian food on an international scale.

Come post your foodie blog posts!  Hope to see you all there…

Much love, D x

https://www.facebook.com/groups/sharingfoodwithshivaaydelights/

Mary Berry’s Chocolate Cupcakes

I adore Mary Berry, the absolute Queen of Baking here in the UK. A beautiful person, so extremely talented and has dedicated her career to help us perfect our home baking. I just know that when I use a “Mary Berry Recipe” I will have fantastic results everytime.

Here is one of our favourites…I put the chocolate icing onto the cakes whilst they were still warm and this way it melted into a rich chocolate sauce with an ultimate moist cake centre…ummm chocolate heaven!

Enjoy friends…Have a wonderful day! Much love, D x

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKE RECIPE
@ http://www.bakingmad.com/mary-berry-chocolate-cupcake-recipe/

INGREDIENTS

CHOCOLATE CAKE
4 tbsp water boiling
40g cocoa powder
3 eggs
175g butter (unsalted) softened
165g caster sugar 
115g self-raising white flour
1 tsp baking powder 

CHOCOLATE ICING
60g butter (unsalted)
30g cocoa powder
3 tbsp milk
250g icing sugar 

METHOD

1. Line two 12-hole muffin tins with paper cases. Sift the cocoa powder into a bowl, pour in the boiling water and mix into a thick paste. Add the remaining cake ingredients and mix with an electric hand whisk (or beat with a wooden spoon)

2. Divide the mixture equally between the 24 paper cases. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for about 10 minutes until well risen and springy to the touch. Cool in the cases on a wire

3. To make the chocolate icing melt the butter and pour it into a bowl. Sift in the cocoa powder and stir in the icing sugar a little at a time to make a glossy and spreadable. If the icing is too thick, gradually add the milk until it reaches the desired consistency. Using a palette knife spread the icing over the cakes and leave to set before serving