Coconut and Apricot Slice

Writing about these is making me want one so badly, and yes, you probably here that a lot on blogs, but honestly this is one of my favourite bakes. Luckily for me; one sister didn't like it, the other was going through a vegan stage, my mum was away dog/house sitting, and my dad tends to forget about the things i bake, if they're in the cupboard. So as you can imagine, i had a lot to eat myself, not that i minded too much.

If you wanted something sweet, bite size and that pairs together so well, like carrot and cumin, apple and cinnamon, then look no further. The sweetness of the biscuit, and condensed milk, with the tartness of the apricot and then the lemon icing, topping off the perfect crunch, to chew ratio underneath. 

Personally, I love apricots and wouldn't change them, but if you don't, raisins would work just as well. I used digestive biscuits, but any plain, sweet biscuit would do the job. I also added lemon zest to the icing, and extra lemon juice because I love lemon, as you might know, if you've been reading my blog for a while. 

I don't particularly like super thick icing on slices, so i halved the original recipe, but feel free to double the one below, if you like thicker icing. I also pressed in extra coconut, to make it look pretty, since my icing lost its shine, as i kept touching it, but if your more skilled than me, and can create a flat and shiny surface, then go ahead!!

Ingredients
100g butter
3/4 cup condensed milk
375g digestives, crushed
150g dried apricots, finely chopped
1 cup desiccated coconut
2 tbsp lemon juice

icing
25g butter
1.5 tbsp boiling water
1 tbsp lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon
1 3/4  icing sugar

1. melt the butter and condensed milk. bring to the boil and simmer for 2 mins.Remove from the heat
2. Add the crushed biscuits, apricots, coconut and lemon juice. Mix well.
3. press into 30cm x 24 cm lined baking tin. Pop in the fridge until set, then ice.
4. For the icing: Melt butter and mix with the boiling water, icing sugar, lemon zest, and juice to a smooth consistency
5. Spread over base. Press into extra coconut if desired, and once set, cut into squares  

Fluffy Yoghurt Pancakes with Roasted Rhubarb

The Sunday Post- 

There's nothing better than picking something,cooking it, then eating all within an hour. Then serve the freshly picked Rhubarb with a sunday staple, pancakes, with creamy greek yoghurt for a perfect Sunday breakfast. Welł, it would be perfect if I didn't have to get up, and make it myself, but sadly neither of my cats have quite worked out how to do that yet, so I'll have to make it myself for a while yet (forever).

The fluffy yoghurt pancakes with a slight tartness, pair wonderfully well with the sweet and sharp rhubarb(wow.didn't realise how much that sounded like Masterchef!) If you don't have time to roast rhubarb, it also works well with yoghurt and fresh seasonal fruit, such as nectarines or try a quick berry sauce. 

I just like roasting the rhubarb with just with sugar, but feel free to add spices such as cinnamon, or orange zest would work particularly well.The leftovers can be served with porridge in the morning, or with a crumble topping or granola for a quick dessert. 

Ingredients

Rhubarb
sugar( i used three types, but that was just for photos)

175g self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp caster sugar
250g greek style yogurt
3tbsp milk
1 egg
butter/ flavourless oil/ coconut oil

1. wash the rhubarb, chop into even sized pieces
2. pop in a roasting sprinkle over sugar, roast until tender

3. when the rhubarbs cooked,mix together the flour, B.P, and sugar
4. pour in the yogurt, milk, and the egg. whisk until a smooth thick batter is formed
5. fry until golden and bubbles start to appear, then flip and fry until the other side is also golden 

6. Serve with extra yoghurt and the rhubarb 

Coconut and Chocolate Balls

Continuing with the recent coconut obsession; Which is healthy right? Perfect, accompanied by (several) an episode of Orphan Black, (the rediscovered unhealthy obsession!); or TV episode of your choice. The dark chocolate, makes them seem extremely healthy, even though they're not really, which may have resulted, in them being eaten extraordinarily quickly; which may, or may not have been consumed at breakfast.

To make them healthier they are coated in dark chocolate, but milk would also work well, especially you prefer things sweeter, as the coconut isn't that sweet. Or if you really want to push the boat out, dipping it half and half, would look pretty. Or if your giving these away as a gift, drizzling them with white chocolate would look great too. 

I kept the dessicated coconut the same size, but feel free to blend it up finer,to make it more like a bounty bar. If you want something a bit different try adding zest of one lime, its really good trust me. Or if you love chocolate, adding cocoa powder would make a healthier version of chocolate rough, add more coconut oil, as it will make the mixture drier. 

Ingredients

1 cup desiccated coconut
2 tbsp honey/maple syrup or similar
2 1/2 tbsp coconut oil
100g dark chocolate, melted

1. melt the coconut oil, and mix in the honey or syrup
2. stir in the coconut, and press into balls( i let the mixture firm up a little, in the fridge before rolling)
3. once the balls are made, place in the fridge to firm up completely, about 30mins
4. once set, dip in the melted chocolate, coating the surface
5. chill until set

Caramalised Onion and Cheese Muffins

Can we please, just take a moment, to appreciate that these beauty's exist. Both sweet and salty, and incredibly cheesy. Cheese is one of the best foods to grace the earth, and i think i would die, if i didn't have it for over a week. If you make these, and don't like them...., then I'm sorry we cannot be friends, as these are definitely my favourite savoury baking recipe, though my cheese scones come a close second.

For parties, i think this small size is easy, and gives you an excuse to eat more because "there small....". I regularly make them in a normal cupcake tin, as its easier to get out, and don't dry out as quickly. These are definitely one of those items to eat on the day, because they dry out quite quickly.
I'm still in the process of finding the exactly right amount of sugar for my taste buds, so keep adjusting it to your own, but this is what I've found is roughly the right amount. If you don't have panko breadcrumbs, don't worry, it's just as great without it. Also if you don't like one of the cheeses, feel free to swap it, or leave out.

If only i had this recipe, when i was in yr 7, and had to design a savoury muffin, in food tech. At the time my 11 year old mind was blown...what madness! It had to contain two vegetables, (classic example of school trying to make us healthier) but then olives were counted as a vegetable, so it wasn't too hard.

Ingredients 

250g butter
40g  caster sugar
250g self raising flour
1 tsp salt
1 egg
1/2 red onion
250g cheddar cheese grated
1 tbsp chives
approx 250g crumbled cheese, e.g. feta, blue cheese

panko breadcrumbs, optional

1. saute the onions until caramelised, leave to cool
2. beat the butter and sugar together, until light and fluffy,beat in the egg 
3. fold in the flour and salt
4. gently fold in the cheddar cheese, caramelised onions, chives and crumbled cheese
5. spoon into moulds, top with panko breadcrumbs, and bake until 180° for 20 mins or until golden brown( they will "set", once out of the oven)
6. leave to cool for 5 mins before removing.

Mango and Coconut Cream with Pistachio Brittle

If you wanted the quickest (homemade) dessert in the whole entire universe then look no further, because trust me this is quicker than walking to your local supermarket, and buying something, unless you live right outside a supermarket, and can run around it like Usain bolt.

I thought i might mention that it utterly delicious, but then for someone who could eat about 10 mangoes per day, and never get bored then i suppose i might be a bit biased. Whatever you do though, use alphonso mangoes! Oh, and once you've made the brittle, I would hide it away until you need it, because unless you have super strong will power, then you might find it magically disappears! 

In this version photographed I used coconut cream (hence it's very white), instead of cream, which is a great option if your lactose intolerant, or if you prefer not to eat dairy/animal products. Instead of using a small expensive tins of coconut cream, I used a tin of coconut milk, and the solid part which had naturally separated (sainsburys own is the best to use), then just whipped it, with the same amount of cardamon. If you don't like cardamon, or want to freshen up the dessert, grated lime zest would also work well.

Serves 4

Ingredients

5 tbsp caster sugar
50g shelled pistachios

300ml double cream, or coconut cream
2 tbsp caster sugar
10 cardamon seeds, shelled, crushed into a powder
400g alphonso mango puree, or flesh of a fresh mango blended
fresh mint to garnish, optional

1. Toast the pistachios until fragrant, roughly chop 
2. In a pan, heat the sugar with 1 tbsp water until it dissolves and cooks to a golden brown caramel
3. Mix the pistachios into the sugar, and spread on baking paper and leave to cool
4. whip the cream with the sugar and cardamon, until it forms soft peaks 
5. divide the mango between 4 glasses, spoon over the cream
6. roughly break up the brittle, sprinkle over. top with a spring of mint.

Cinnamon Buns

Well, i bet that title post is what made you click. There is no shame in admitting it, because those two words put together = heaven. Don't even try to deny it, because I know you would be lying, as no one can resist sugary, buttery, cinnamony goodness. There just so yummy, i get distracted and casually invent new words! 

These are no ordinary cinnamon buns, as they are super rich and buttery. They are also folded in a traditional Nordic way, and as well as being loaded with cinnamon, they have cardamon in them as well. They are almost like a hybrid between croissants and cinnamon buns, as they have layers which are soft and flakey, almost pastry like.

Feel free to add your own flavours, such as vanilla or saffron, or if you don't like cardamom feel free to remove it. I also added a lot more cinnamon than the recipe suggests, the filling didn't  taste that nice on its own, but since the cinnamon is distributed throughout 16 buns it tasted fine( and actually needed more to suit my tastes).

Ingredients

Dough

135g caster sugar

100g butter

700g plain flour

18g dried yeast

1 egg

200ml milk

100ml cream

Filling

90g caster sugar

150g unsalted butter

1-2 tbsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp cardamom seeds from pods, ground( to taste)

Glazing syrup 

1 egg, beaten

50ml golden syrup or treacle, mixed with 1 tbsp water

2 tbsp caster sugar

1. Beat together the butter a and sugar until light and fluffy

2. Add in the egg and beat for a further 2 mins

3. Fold in the sifted flour and yeast, alternating with the milk and cream, until you have a smooth and slightly sticky dough

4. Knead for 15 mins until the dough is smooth and elastic, cover and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour

5. Shape the risen dough into a rectangle, roll out to 2cm thick, keeping in as much air as possible

6. Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, add in the cinnamon and cardamom to taste spread evenly over the dough

7. Fold the dough in half, the half again, keeping in a rectangle shape

8. Roll out again to 1.5 cm thick, cut the dough into 2cm wide strips, it should make about 16 strips

9. Roll each strip around 3 fingers twice, using your thumb as an anchor point, fold the end of the strip over the loops & tuck it under. Or roll into snail shapes.

10. Place onto lined baking tray, and cover with a tea towel, and allow to rise for 45 mins

11. Preheat the oven to 200°c, gas 6

12. Brush the buns with beaten egg. And place in the oven for 10mins or until golden brown

13. Once cooked immediately brush with the syrup and sprinkle with sugar.

Lemon and Elderflower Madeleines

It's the same story every year; i make the elderflower cordial, i give a couple bottles away, and then keep the rest for my family. As usual, i started looking for recipes that i can use it in, my pintrest addiction being put to use for once! Since, i haven't used my madeleine tin yet (I've had it for a year!). I thought it was about time i christened it, and I'm glad i did, with something so delicious!

These are the perfect afternoon tea cakes, they look pretty without being a difficult and fiddly. Or ideally served, with a coffee, at breakfast, not to mention on a little Paris balcony, ideally with a view of the Eiffel tower.No? A girl can dream...

Other than, that they look pretty, another reason why i like these, is that they let the elderflower "sing" on its own, unlike previous recipes which also contain fruit of some sort (but are just as delicious). If you want to you could add raspberry, just push them into the mixture, once in the moulds. If you don't have a madeleine tin, you could put it into mini cupcake tins, although it would look quite similar to my canape. If you didn't have either of those tins then my blackberry,lime and elderflower slice, might be a bit easier.

Ingredients 

2 eggs
75g caster sugar
100g plain flour, sifted 
1/2 tsp baking powder
75g melted butter, cooled
zest 1 lemon
3 tbsp elderflower cordial 

melted butter to grease 
flour to grease elderflower syrup, to glaze
icing sugar to dust(and make look beautiful and ladylike )

1. Whisk the eggs and sugar together, until thick and pale and fluffy
2. combine the butter, elderflower cordial and lemon zest
3. fold in the sifted flour and baking powder, alternating with the butter mixture
4. rest the mixture for about for 4 hrs, or longer(up to 3 days)
5. when ready, preheat the oven to 200°, gas mark 6
6. grease the moulds with melted butter, and dust with flour. place in the freezer for 2 mins to chill
7. fill each mould 3/4 full or almost full
8. bake for 8- 12mins depending on the size of your madeleines, or until golden and spring back when touched
9. brush immediately with elderflower syrup 
10. dust with icing sugar to serve