Bountygolla -Chocolate and Coconut Figolla

This is one of my signature cookie. I love bounty especially the dark chocolate, probably because when I was young, the TV advert portrayed, lush beautiful tropic bounties. So, I thought why not mingle that to the Maltese traditional Easter sweet? So here it is, the chocolate short pastry filled with coconut goodness. This recipe makes about 6 normal sized figolli, or 12-15 small ones. 

 

For the Pastry 

250g Unsalted Butter 

200g Caster Sugar 

1 tsp Baking Powder 

550g Plain Flour 

60g Cocoa Powder 

3 eggs 

Pinch Salt

For the Filling 

500g Dessicated Coconut 

250g Caster Sugar 

3 egg whites 

50ml Malibu 

1 tbsp Rice Flour 

For Decoration 

200g Dark Chocolate

Sprinkles

 

Making Pastry 

1. Using K beater mix butter and caster sugar till pale and fluffy 
2. Add eggs one at a time while continue on moderate speed 
3. Add sifted flours and salt then mix until a thick paste is formed. Do not over work the dough, a few seconds is enough 
4.  Scrape dough, gather mass on to some cling film, wrap to cover properly and refrigerate for 1/2 hour  

Making Filling

1. Using a whisk, beat eggs and sugar till soft merengue is formed 
2. Remove whisk, replace by K beater, add coconut, Malibu and rice flour, then mix till thick mixture is formed. If mixture is too dry, add some coconut water or more Malibu.  Leave to rest for 1/2 hour so that the coconut absorbs all liquids and fluff up.

Shaping Bountygolla 

1. 
   
   
   Roll out pastry to 5mm thickness, cut desired shapes and transfer shape to baking tin
   
2. Take heaped tablespoons of filling and level out on top of the pastry.
3. Roll out the pastry again and cut shapes again and arrange on top of the coconut mixture to form a sandwich.
4. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
5. Heat the oven to 185C and bake Bountygollas for about 25minutes.  You will notice that the cookie is cooked when you see a light tinge of brown to the coconut filling.
6. You may eat the cookie strait-away, however these taste better covered in dark chocolate and sprinkled with your desired topping.
   

Cranberry Cheese and Chocolate Cup Cakes

 These little devils will definitely ruin your Carb-Free Diet! Recipe makes 24 mini cakes.

 

Ingredients

150g Butter

1 cup caster sugar

4 eggs

150g ricotta cheese

2 1/2 Cups self raising Flour 

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup chocolate chips

2 tbsp Tia Maria

pinch salt 

1.     Pre heat oven to 200c

2.    In a food mixer, using K beater,  cream butter and sugar till pale and fluffy

3.    Add all remaining ingredients mix for just 30 seconds till mixture resembles stiff cake mix.

4.    Using 75ml ice cream scoop, fill cup cakes and bake for 25-30 minutes

 

Christmas Log

This is one of our Christmas/all year favourite slice!  Few years ago I discovered the addition of Turkish Halva (Helwa tat-Tork) which makes this dark luscious slice even more delicious!  Quantities make 1x40cm log and a smaller roll of approx 15cm which disappear before the day is out.

Ingredients

180g Crushed Malt Biscuits (Morning Coffee)

300g Crushed Roasted Hazel Nuts

80g Whole Roasted Hazel Nuts

150g Turkish Halva

397g can sweetened condensed milk

50g cocoa powder

75g Icing Sugar

40ml Kahlua or other Coffee Liquor

Topping 

300g Nutella

Extra Icing Sugar for Dusting

Add dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Using a fork crush the turkish halva leaving some bits the size of a hazelnut.  Stir the ingredients to have a combined mix.  Add condensed milk and Kahlua, then using a metal spoon stir the mixture slowly to obtain a stiff paste.  Spoon mixture over a grease proof paper, then fold over the paper to form a roll approximately 40cm long and 7cm diameter.

Transfer the log to serving plate.  Using the back of a spoon cover the roll with Nutella to create a rough bark effect.  Chill for about 2 hours then dust with icing sugar.  Chill overnight before serving.

Log keeps well in the fridge for up to three weeks but I wonder if it will last that long!

Hazelnut Frangipane tart with Figs, Apricot and Plums

Frangipan is the nut filling, usually almonds, and is commonly used to fill short crust pastry shells in a bakewell tart. In this recipe I used ground hazelnuts and puff pastry instead and skipped the blind baking of the pastry shell. As I made this in early Summer, I had figs and apricot in season, but in winter you can swap with blueberries, raspberries or even pears. Recipe serves generous 12 portions and goes well with a cup of tea!

1 sheet of frozen/fresh ready made round cut puff pastry. (30cm)

400g ground hazelnuts
5 eggs
2 tbs frangelico or other liquor
240g caster sugar
3-4 ripe figs
3-4 apricots
2 plums
2 tbsp demerara or other sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tbsp runny honey
2 tbsp icing sugar

Pre heat oven to 180c.

Slice fruit and set aside.

In a food mixer, add ground hazelnuts, eggs, liquor and sugar and using k beater beat on slow speed to mix ingredients to form a medium stiff paste.

Roll out puff pastry on a baking tray. Pour over hazelnut mixture and level with a spatula. Leave approximately 1cm pastry as border.

Arrange fruit around, sprinkle with demerara sugar and dust with a little cinnamon.

Bake for approximately 40 minutes till golden.  Then take out from the oven and while still piping hot drizzle honey over the fruit to create a glaze.

Turn onto a wire rack to cool completely and right before serving dredge with icing sugar.

Chocolate Orange merengue Cup Cakes

Light merengue, smooth curd and a soft chocolate cake... Luscious cup cakes fit for any birthday treat! Recipe makes 24

Chocolate Cake
1 1/2 cups self raising flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 1/3 cup castor sugar
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
100g butter
2 eggs
1 cup coconut milk
1 short espresso
1 tbsp Tia Maria
pinch salt
two twists black pepper

Pre heat oven to 200c. Soften the butter slightly.( 20seconds microwave should do.  Add all ingredients in a food mixer and using k beater beat for 1 minute slow speed then further minute on high speed.  Spoon mixture in muffin cases and bake for about 20 minutes till firm to touch.  Remove from oven and cool slightly. 

Orange Curd
Juice and rind of 3 oranges
1 cup water(250ml)
3 tbsp corn flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
90g butter

Add Juice, rind, water and cornflour to a saucepan and stir continuously over medium heat till mixture thickens.  Boil mixture for a further minute so that cornflour cooks.  Turn off heat, add chopped cold butter and continue to stir till it dissolves.  Add egg yolks one at a time and stir till mixture is shiny.  Cover and let it cool before use.

Merengue
1 cup Icing Sugar
4 egg whites
1 tbsp corn flour

Beat egg whites till soft peaks form.  Add icing sugar and beat for about 3 minutes till mixture firms up.  Add cornflour and give few turns till it folds in mixture.  Spoon mixture in piping bag fitted with 1cm tube.

Pre-Heat oven to 220c
Pipe round circle of merengue over each cup cake. Fill the middle with 1 heaped teaspoon of orange curd.  Pipe more circles on top of curd to completely cover the curd.
Bake in oven till merengue peaks turn golden.

Boiled Fruit Cake

As time goes by, my Christmas baking leisure, is going with it!  Time is my most rare commodity so I try to find short cuts and cheats to overcome this annoying problem.  Boiling process saved me from long hours waiting for dried fruit to steep in alcohol.  Adding butter while the mixture is still warm saved me from creaming it with sugar and I used the same pan!.  Texture came out just as good and I cannot tell you if it keeps long or not as it has already disappeared! I gave this cake the dundee finish of almond topping for that little bit of crunch.

500g dried mixed fruit

250g glaced cherries

100g chopped dried prunes

250g dark muscovado sugar

1/2tsp ground cinnamon

1/4tsp ground cloves

1/4tsp ground allspice

Juice and rind of 1 clementine

Juice and rind of 1 orange

1 cup whiskey

225g butter

300g self raising flour

3 eggs

2tbsp honey

2tbsp cocoa powder

200g almonds

Add mixed fruit, cherries, prunes, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, alspice, rind and juice of clementine and orange and whiskey to a medium pan.  Bring to a boil and simmer for just 5 minutes stirring so that sugar dissolves.  Turn off heat and cover with lid till mixture cools down to medium warm.

Pre heat oven to 165c. Line a 10inch cake tin with baking paper. 

Chop butter into small cubes and add to fruit mixture and stir till it melts into the mixture.  Add eggs, flour, cocoa and honey and stir till all is incorporated into the fruit mixture and form a nice cake mix. Do not overmix.

Pour mixture in prepared baking tin, arrange almonds on top and bake for approximately 1 hour.  Test with skewer in the centre, and when this comes out clean remove from oven and let it cool in the tin.

Mince Pies

Mince Pies brings the smell of Christmas and it keeps lingering in your kitchen for quite a while.  Cinnamon and grated clementines are magical.  I used vegetable suet as the proper beef suet is not available on this island!  Came out just right and somehow the indulging guilt is slightly less...
Recipe makes about 24 small mince pies.

Mince Filling
250g Sultanas
100g Dried Cranberries
100g dried blueberries
100g candied peel
50g chopped almonds
100g vegetable suet
75g sugar
1/2 cup whisky
grated clementine rind
juice of 1 clementine
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground allspice

Food Processor Short Pastry
300g plain flour
75g butter
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp sugar
pinch salt
2 eggs
2 tbsp cold water

Put sultanas, dried cranberries, blueberries, candied peel in a glass bowl.  Heat whiskey, clementine juice, cinnamon sugar, ground cloves and ground allspice in a small saucepan. Stir until sugar dissolves and when mixture boils pour over the dried fruit.  Give a quick stir, cover with cling film and leave to stand over night.  

The following day return the fruit to a saucepan, add the vegetable suet and stir over medium heat till suet melts and the fruit plump up.  Remove from heat and add the chopped almonds. Leave to cool.

Meanwhile prepare the short pastry by adding plain flour, baking powder, butter and sugar to food processor and mix till butter crumbs in flour.  Add lightly beaten eggs and give few pulses to mix.  Add two table spoons of cold water giving few more pulses.  Remove pastry from food processor, bind together with your hands to form a ball, cover with cling film and chill for few minutes in a refrigeraor.

Heat oven to 180c.  Roll out pastry and using proper round cutter cut rounds that fit in a 12 whole mince pie tin.  Spoon mince filling and top with a pastry star.  Brush with a little beaten egg and bake for about 30 minutes till golden.  Dust with some icing sugar.  

Mince pies keep well for over a week, but they can be frozen and thawed 30 minutes before serving.

Rainbow in Forest Cake

This is my rainbow idea!  I'm sure rainbows do not appear in dense forests but I decided to make my indigo with forest berries!  I brushed each layer with amaretto icing and the taste will develop after few hours.  You can change the amaretto to limoncello and give it the sunshine taste!  This recipe makes about 12 slices.

Make two batches of sponge mixture and divide each mixture into three separate bowls.  The sponge ingredients are for 1 batch

4 eggs

2/3 cup castor sugar

1/3 cup corn flour

1 cup Self raising Flour

30g melted butter

3 different colours

Amaretto Ice (enough for all layers)

3 tablespoons Amaretto

300g Icing Sugar

1/2 cup water

300g frozen berries

100g sugar

Juice of 1 lime

Shavings of white chocolate to decorate

Line three baking sheets size 25cm x 40cm with baking paper.  Pre heat oven 175c.

Beat eggs and sugar together till stiff peaks form.  Meanwhile sift the flours together then fold in the mixture using a metal spoon.  Fold in melted butter and divide mixture into three separate bowls.  Add drops of food colouring, choose from orange, yellow, red, blue, green and violet. Mix the colours taking care not to remove too much air from the sponge mix. Pour into the baking trays and level with spatula.  Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on wire racks without removing the baking paper.

Meanwhile prepare the Amaretto icing by adding all ingredients in a food mixer and mix for 2 minutes to get a smooth runny icing.

Heat the frozen berries, add sugar and stir.  Bubble for five minutes till sugar dissolves but the berries remain whole.  Cool mixture and chill till it is needed.

Repeat the process for the remaining three layers of cake. Cake can be frozen at this stage.

Place the red layer on a clean tray.  Brush with amaretto ice then take the orange layer and place it on top.  Remove the baking paper and brush the orange layer with amaretto icing again.  Continue with the remaining layers.  

Trim the sides then divide the cake into twelve or sixteen portions and place each portion on a serving plate.  spoon over the berry mix then decorate with chocolate shavings.  Vanilla ice cream or custard is the ideal company! 

 

Cake and Almond Tarts

When you have a cake, that is past it's freshness or comes out from the oven not as expected, crumb it, freeze it, then use it in this recipe as filling! I guarantee that everyone will ask you for the recipe. I managed 24 7cm tarts or buns whatever you may choose to call them! In this recipe I used leftovers from Date and Walnut cake which I crumbed using a food processor.

1 quantity Sweet Short Pastry Recipe

500g pure ground almonds

200g ground peanuts

500g cake crumbs

6 eggs

300g sugar

few drops almond essence

2 tbsp amaretto

12 cherries

72 blanched almonds

Put all filling ingredients except, cherries and whole almonds,  in a large bowl, add eggs and using a wooden spoon stir till all combined and form a thick paste.

Pre heat oven to 165c

Roll out pastry and cut into rounds to line 2x 12 hole bun tin.  ( I prefer non stick tin so that I do not have to butter it)

Using two spoons spoon mixture into each tart right till the top.  Arrange on each tart half a cherry and three almonds, and bake for 45 mins or until cooked and slightly browned.

Maltese Chocolate bread pudding - Pudina

Mum makes best pudding and I can still taste the juicy sultanas mingled with crunchy nutty topping. This is my interpretation which I admit is very close to my childhood memory. Pudina is good served either warm with a cup of tea or cold with a chilled glass of milk.  Keeps well for about 1 week.

200g butter
250g sugar
3 eggs
200g plain flour
400g day old bread
600ml milk
200g raisins
100g ground nuts
50g cocoa
100g packet chocolate custard powder
100g ground almonds
1/2 tsp mixed spice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Few drops vanilla extract
2tbsp Tia Maria

Topping
2 tbsp chopped nuts
2tbsp desiccated coconut
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp brown sugar

Pre heat oven to 180c. Roughly chop bread in a bowl and pour milk on top allow few minutes to soak. In a food mixer cream butter with sugar, then add eggs one at a time, then add ground nuts, cocoa, mixed spice, cinnamon, custard powder, vanilla extract and soaked bread and mix for about 3 minutes till bread is well incorporated in the mixture.  Then add Tia Maria and flour and give few turns till flour gets into mixture. Then add raisins and give a final mix.  Do not over mix at this stage.  Butter a 9x12inch dish and pour over mixture. Even out with spatula, then sprinkle with nuts and brown sugar then dust with cinnamon.  Bake for 45 minutes till skewer comes clean when tested.  Cut into squares and serve. Pudding keeps well for a week in an air tight container in a cool place.

Sticky Toffee Pudding

For The Pudding
200g Chopped Dates
250ml Black Tea
1/2tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
2 Eggs
85g Butter
175g Caster Sugar
175g Self Raising flour
1 tsp mixed spice
1 tbsp cocoa
1 tbsp Tia Maria

Toffee Topping
200g Mascarpone Cheese
100ml Milk
120g Brown Sugar
1 tbsp Tia Maria

Pre-Heat oven to 185c and butter a square 10inch dish.

Put chopped dates in a saucepan, cover with tea and bring to boil.  Simmer for 3 minutes till dates are soft.  Turn off heat and add Bicarbonate of soda.  Stir once and set aside.

Beat sugar and butter in a food mixer till pale and creamy.  Add Eggs one at a time.  Add sifted flour, cocoa and mixed spice and mix well.  Add date Mixture and Tia Maria and give a few turns so that all ingredients mix together.  Transfer mixture to buttered dish and bake for 45 minutes till centre springs back when tested with your fingertips.

Meanwhile prepare the toffee by putting all ingredients except Liquor, into a saucepan and boil whisking constantly to obtain a smooth sauce.  Bubble sauce for about 3 minutes to get a caramel flavour then turn heat off and stir in the Tia Maria.

Sticky Toffe Pudding is best served warm.....20seconds Microwave will do the trick!

Panettone with Creme Anglaise (Custard Sauce)

I know that there are scrumptuous ready made Panettone, but there are also ready made Christmas cakes and puddings and we still enjoy making our own.  Try this for Christmas dessert for a lighter finish to traditional puddings.  Make sure to double the portion for Creme Anglaise as it will disappear! Mixture makes 3 9inch cakes or 36 small muffin size for an individual portion!

1kg Plain Flour

80g Sugar

80g Butter 

2tsp Salt

2 eggs

50g Fresh Yeast or 18g dried

150g Candied Fruit

200g Sultana

2 tbsp Brandy

3 tbspDried Milk Powder

400ml luke warm Water

1 tsp Grated Orange Rind

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

1/4 tsp Ground Cloves

1 extra egg for egg wash

Glaze

1 tbsp Marmalade

1tbsp Brandy

1tbsp Maple Syrup

Creme Anglaise

500ml Milk

1 vanilla pod 

3 Egg Yolks

2 tbsp Sugar

Crumble yeast in a small bowl, add 1/4 of water and whisk to melt.  Cover with cling film and set aside. Heat a small casserole add, brandy, sultana, candied fruit, grated orange rind, cinnamon and ground cloves.  Stir well till all fruit is heated throgh and mixture boils. Turn off immediately then add butter.  Stir and cover.

In a food mixer fitted with hook attachment, add sifted flour, Salt, Sugar and eggs.  Add milk powder to remaining water and add to flour mixture.  Add yeast mixture and turn speed to minimum and mix for 10 minutes. Lift hook and scrape dough from hook.  Add fruit mixture to dough and lower hook again and knead for further 5 minutes till all fruit has been evenly incorporated into the dough.  Turn machine off lift hook, cover with clean cloth and leave in a warm place for about 1 hour till mixture doubles in size.  Lower back the hook and knead for another 5 minutes.  Divide mixture into three equal portions of approx 500g each and put in 9inch Paper cases or lined baking pans. ( I make small ones with 1 tbsp mixture into muffin cases).  Put cakes in the oven with light on (no heat) and let them rise for 1.5hours.  Brush with beaten egg.  Turn oven on to 200c and bake panettone for approx 30 minutes till top is rich golden and sounds hollow when tapped from the bottom.  Heat Marmalade, brandy and maple syrup and brush cakes when still hot to get a shiny top. Cakes can be frozen when cold and thawed when needed.

 

Creme Anglaise

Split vanilla pod in two and scrape seeds.  Add seeds and pod to milk and heat till it nearly boils, meanwhile beat egg yolks and sugar in a glass bowl till pale and fluffy. Slowly add boiled milk to yolk mixture and stir well.  Turn mixture to pan and stir on low heat till mixture thickens to cover the back of a spoon.  Do not boil mixture as it curdles.  Mixture should resemble gravy sauce texture not thick paint!

Apple Tea Cake

Autumn just around the corner, and Apples are in season.  I know that Apple Pies are an old time favourite but with the limited time everybody  has the days,  I find this cake a good alternative using just a fraction of the time to prepare.  It taste wonderful and it is very easy to cut and serve.  It keeps well if refregerated for 3-4 days.  Serve it cold or warm and custard or vanilla ice cream are very good accompaniments.  Don't forget to make some tea!

1kg cooking Apples
5 cloves
1/2 lemon
800g Self Raising Flour
300g sugar
450g plain yoghurt
250g butter
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp ground cinnamon
few drops vanilla essence
6 eggs

Peel  apples and cut roughly into chunks add to a medium pan then cover with water, squeeze the half a lemon over and then add to squeezed lemon to apples, add cloves cover and bring to boil.  Simmer for 15minutes then turn off heat and drain.  Transfer apples to a clean bowl, make sure that you remove the cloves and lemon, then break slightly using a fork and leave to cool completely.

Butter a lamington dish and pre heat the oven to 180c.

Sift the flour and baking powder. Cut butter into small cubes then put them in a food processor fitted with blade.  Pulse for a few times till butter crumbles in the flour.  Add sugar, eggs, yoghurt, milk and vanilla essence, and process till a smooth cake mixture is formed.  Layer half the mixture in the prepared lamington dish, then top evenly with cooked apples. Dust a cinamon powder all over and cover with the remaining cake mix.  Even out with a spatula and bake for 35 to 40minutes till golden and a skewer comes clean when inserted in the middle.  Turn over to cool on a wire rack.  Serve with ice cream or warm custard sauce.

Moist Apricot and Pistacchio Cake

250g Dried Apricots

200g Raw Shelled Pistacchios

180g Sugar

85g Butter

4 eggs

150g Self Raising Flour

1 tsp grated Lemon Rind

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

3/4cup hot water

 

1/4 Golden Syrup

3 Tbsp Cointreau or Grand Marnier

Place apricots in a small bowl, pour hot water over and stand for few minutes.

Preaheat oven to 170c. Butter and flour a 9 inch cake tin.

Put 200g Pistacchios  in a food processor,  and process till well ground.  Transfer nuts to a bowl, add softened apricots and hot water mixture to porocessor and whizz for few seconds till you have a creamy mixture.  Add chopped butter and sugar and give some pulses till combined. Add eggs all at once and pulse again.   Add sifted flour, grated lemon rind, bicarbonate of soda and ground pistacchios and process for approx 20 seconds or till you  have an even cake mixture.  Do not over mix.  Pour mixture into prepared tin, and bake fro 30 minutes or until cake is cooked through, springy to the touch and skewer comes out clean when inserted in the centre.

Meanwhile heat the golden syrup and cointreau for just 1 minute  till syrup is warm and bubbly. 

Remove cake from oven, turn onto a wire rac, leave upside down, and spoon over the syrup. When completely cold turn over to a serving plate.  Will keep well for 1 week.

Moist Date and Walnut Cake

This is most definitely one of the nicest cakes I made so far.  It can be enjoyed on its own with a cup of tea, or warm with honey Ice cream.  It keeps well for more than three days so it is perfect to ouse as a birthday cake covered with chocolate or sugar pastry. I love it because once again only one gadget is needed, your food processor and it takes less than 10 minutes toprepare.

250g Jumbo Dates (pitted)

200g Walnuts

180g Sugar

85g Butter

4 eggs

150g Self Raising Flour

1/4tsp Cinnamon Powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

3/4cup hot water

50g Extra Walnuts for topping

1/2cup maple syrup

1 tbsp brandy

Place dates in a small bowl, pour hot water over and stand for few minutes.

Preaheat oven to 170c. Butter and flour a 10inch ring.

Put 200g walnuts  in a food processor,  and process till well ground.  Transfer walnuts to a bowl, add dates and hot water mixture to porocessor and whizz for few seconds till you have a creamy mixture.  Add chopped butter and sugar and give some pulses till combined. Add eggs all at once and pulse again.   Add sifted flour, cinnamon, bicarbonate of soda and ground walnuts and process for approx 20 seconds or till you  have an even cake mixture.  Do not over mix.  Pour mixture into prepared tin, arrange walnut halves on top and bake fro 30 minutes or until cake is cooked through, springy to the touch and skewer comes out clean when inserted in the centre.

Meanwhile heat maple syrup and 1 tablespoon brandy over a stove or in a microwave, 1 minute on high.

Remove cake from oven, turn onto a wire rac, leave upside down, and spoon over the syrup. When completely cold turn over to a serving plate.  Fill the centre with fresh roses.

White chocolate and cherry muffins

These are no fuss cakes which I guarantee that you will do in just 15 minutes and that includes the washing up!

They keep well and moist in an airtight container for three days!

2 cups self raising flour
60g melted butter
3/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup white chocolate melts
1 cup canned pitted cherries drained
1 egg

Pre heat oven to 200c. Sift the flour and bicarbonate of soda  in a large mixing bowl.  Add sugar, chocolate melts and mix together. In another bowl, beat the  egg lightly, add the milk and melted butter and stir well.  Add egg mixture to dry ingredients and scatter the pitted cherrie.  Mix everything together using a metal spoon.  Do not over mix!  Mixture will remain a bit lumpy.  Line muffin tray with muffin paper cases. Spoon mixture into each case leaving some space to rise.  Bake for 25 to 30minutes then turn on to wire rack to cool. Makes 9 large muffin.

Spider Man Chocolate Cup Cakes

A special request from my little one to treat his school mates on his 4th birthday.  Recipe makes 24 cup cakes, and can be made a day ahead.  Will keep well for about 3 days.

125g Softened Butter
3 eggs
1 3/4 cup Self Raising Flour
1 1/2 cup Castor Sugar
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of Soda
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tbsp Tia Maria
1 short espresso
3/4 cup Milk

350g Icing Sugar
1 egg white
Juice of Half Lemon
Red and Blue Food Colour
75g Plain Chocolate

In a food mixer with K beater attached add butter, eggs, espresso, milk and Tia Maria, then sift in flour, cocoa and bicarbonate of soda.  Mix on low speed for 1 minute, then on high speed for 3 minutes or until mixture is smooth and even.  Arrange cup cake cases in muffin trays and  fill with cake mixture.  Do not fill right to the top, leave some space to rise.  Bake in 180c oven for 25 to 30 minutes until cooked through.  Take out from oven and leave to cool on wire rack.

Beat egg white till soft peaks form, then add sifted icing sugar and lemon juice and beat for 5 minutes till sugar dissolves.  Divide the mixture in two batches and colour with one with blue and the other with  red food colour.

Melt the chocolate over baine Marie or 45sec high  set in Microwave.  Put icing mixtures in separate piping bags, fitted with small star nozzle.  Put melted chocolate in a corner of a small plastic bag, then make a small hole at the tip.

Pipe icing over cakes to cover completely, then pipe circles with chocolate and using a tooth pick, press lines from inside to outside to make the web design.

Lemon Yoghurt Tea Cake

Yoghurt makes this cake extra light, and the pinch of salt is necessary to bring out the flavour. Limoncello is the Scicilian Lemon liquor, which I used so that the cake keeps moist and soft for a bit longer.  I haven't finished writing the recipe and half of it is already gone!

150g Butter
240g Caster Sugar
375g Self Raising Flour
4 eggs
Pinch Salt
Juice of 1 lemon
Grated Rind of 1 lemon
150g Plain Greek Yoghurt
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp Limoncello
Icing sugar for dusting

Pre heat oven to 180c. Butter a 22cm round cake tin.  In a food mixer, cream butter and sugar till pale and fluffy, add eggs one at a time. Reduce speed to slow, add sifted flour, salt, yoghurt, grated rind, honey, lemon juice and limoncello and mix till combined.  Turn speed to medium high and mix for further 1 minute.  Pour cake mixture into buttered cake tin and bake for 40 minutes or until skewer comes out clean when tested. Turn to cool on wire rack. Serve dusted with icing sugar.

Saucy Strawberry Cake

Strawberries are in season.  Maltese taste best!  So sweet that in this recipe I use only 100g to have a delicious jammy sauce at the bottom of this cake! Serve with mascarpone cheese, clotted cream or vanilla ice cream.

600g fresh strawberries hulled
125g butter
225g sugar
275g self raising flour
3 eggs
150g plain yoghurt
1/2 cup milk
few drops vanilla flavour
1 orange
icing sugar for dusting

Roughly chop the strawberries and place them in an oven proof dish.  Sprinkle with 100g of sugar then squeeze  the juice of one orange.

Heat the oven to 180c.

In a food mixer, beat butter and sugar till pale and fluffy, add eggs one at a time, then add yoghurt and milk. Add flour and vanilla essence and beat for 1 minute. 

Pour cake mixture on  strawberries and even out with a spatula.

Bake for 30-40 minutes until top is golden and skewer comes out clean. Dust with icing sugar and serve warm.

Gateaux Saint Honore

Once you master the choux pastry, this is the first cake you should go for. It taste as good as it looks!

1 quantity choux pastry
Choux recipe
1 quantity Creme Patissiere
Creme Patissiere Recipe
250ml fresh cream
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp water
2 tbsp white sugar crunch sprinkles

Beat the cream with a hand whisk until light and fluffy. Take two tablespoons of whipped cream and stir them into the cold Creme Patissiere. Fold in the remaining cream into the Creme Patissiere, cover and refrigerate. 

Heat the oven to 210c. Lightly oil two baking sheets. Transfer choux paste to a piping bag fitted with 1 cm nozzle. Pipe from centre out circcles of choux paste to form a round base for the cake. Pipe small balls of dough on the other tray the size of a cherry. You will need 12 nicely formed choux puffs for this recipe. Bake base and buns until golden. Transfer to wire rack to cool. 

Put one tablespoon water in a pan, then pour sugar on top and turn on heat to medium. Cook the sugar until golden and turn off heat just before you think it's ready.(it will keep on cooking and dark caramel taste horrible) carefully dip in the choux buns. Have sprinkles ready on a plate so that you can press six buns in them while caramel is still hot and sticky. Just before caramel cools make caramel springs by lifting some caramel with a spoon and make spiral forms around an oiled cylinder. ( I use the knife sharpener!) 

Make a small hole underneath each choux bun and pipe to fill with cream. Place the baked and cooled choux base on a serving tray, pipe cream on top. Place the twelve buns on the outer side and decorate the middle with caramel spirals.