Thursday 29 March 2012

Any Berry Ice Cream

Summer has hit Britain. Even though this will probably only last a matter of days, our glorious nation decides to bare all and dye their almost reflective, white skin a hue of burnt pink. In other words, it's hit above 15C and we've decided that, despite it only being march, it is most definitely summer and, to celebrate this, we must wear minimal clothing and eat copious amounts of ice cream. I know you lot must be getting sick of my constant ice creaming, especially if you don't have an ice cream machine, but believe me, this recipe is as versatile as it is yummy. Sadly, I have yet to find a simple and good recipe for ice cream that doesn't require an ice cream machine, but rest assured, I am constantly on the look out, and I will only give you guys at home the best of the best!


I've made this recipe twice now, once with strawberries and raspberries, and once with blackberries and blueberries, both times it was delish! You will probably notice that I haven't put the weight equivalent for the berries, this is simply because the weight will all depend on the berries you use.


Anyway, whilst I'm lapping up my vitamin D outside, you can get on with this FABulous recipe!


Any Berry Ice Cream
Bare Necessities
1 1/2cups Berries (Fresh or frozen, its doesn't matter)
3/4cups/185ml Milk
2/3cups/150g Granulated Sugar
1 1/2cups/375ml Double Cream
1 1/2tsp Vanilla Extract


1. Stir the milk with the sugar until it has completely dissolved.
2. Mix in the cream and vanilla extract and pop in the fridge to chill.
3. Chop up the berries into small chunks and then take the cream mixture out of the fridge and pour in the berries.
4. If you have an Ice cream machine, pour the whole thing into the machine and follow the normal procedure.
5. Serve up in a bowl or cone or, if you just cant wait, eat it straight out of the pot!

Thursday 22 March 2012

Baileys Brownies

Now aren't you all lucky bunnies? TWO posts in ONE day! ... yeah, yeah, I know it's to make up for the lack of posting for the last two Tuesdays, BUT, this one's a winner winner chicken dinner. This is one of those fantastic examples of putting two delicious things together to make something absolutely diVINE. Yes, my friends, if you haven't already guessed by the title of this post, this recipe is a gorgeous combination of Baileys and my heavenly brownies. What could be better? well, you'll have to wait and see! Anyways, I originally found this recipe here and then switched their brownie recipe for mine and took the Baileys part from them (thanks!). I will admit, I did fail a little when spreading the top layer on, but I think it adds a touch of character to the whole thing; but if anyone asks, I did that on purpose for decorative effect.

As with all the recipes that I put up here with two parts, I have photographed all the ingredients together, but written them separately for your ease. Aren't I nice?

Bare Necessities
For The Brownies:
75g Self-Raising Flour
15g Cocoa Powder
100g Butter
175g Castor Sugar
100g Plain Chocolate
2 Eggs

For The Baileys Filling:
16oz/2cups/450g Cream Cheese
1 Egg
1/3cup/75g Sugar
3tbsp Baileys

1. Preheat the oven to 170C/gas mark 4.
2. Grease and line an oblong tin.
3. Sift flour and cocoa powder into a bowl.
4. Put the butter and sugar into a pan and add one tablespoon of water.
5. Put on a low heat and stir until it has all melted and mixed.
6. Turn off the heat, break the chocolate into pieces, add to the pan and stir until melted and mixed.
7. Wait until the mixture has cooled enough so that you can comfortably put your hand against the side of the pan. As you've probably gathered by now, I'm impatient, so I sit the pan in a cold water bath (careful not to let any water get into the pan, obviously) and cool the mixture that way.
8. Beat in the eggs.
9. Pour the flour and cocoa powder into the mixture and fold with a wooden spoon until completely mixed.
10. In a separate bowl, whisk the sugar and the cream cheese until smooth.
11. Whisk in the remaining egg and the Baileys until light and fluffy.
12. Pour half of the brownie mixture into the tin.
13. Smooth it down and spread to all the edges.
14. Pour in all of the Baileys mix and gently spread it so that it completely covers the brownie mixture. Try to keep them as separate as possible.
15. Pour the remaining brownie mixture into the tin and gently spread over the Baileys mixture.
16. Pop into the oven for 30-35 minutes or until you can put a knife in it and it comes out clean.
17. Turn out onto a cooling rack and leave to cool, or if you can't wait, cut yourself a cheeky slice and make everyone else wait!

Waffles

Firstly, I want to send out a HUGE apology for not posting last week and for being so late this week, anyone who's done art GCSE will understand. Anyway, I thought that the only way in which I could appropriately apologise is to give you not one but two absolutely fantastic recipes this week, though I'm going to put them into two separate posts, so that they will be easier to find in the archives. Is that better?


Ok, so a couple of weeks ago when I was talking about my (awesome) birthday, I mentioned how Nick (my mum's boyfriend) and his family gave me a waffle iron. Well, over the weekend, my friend Sophia came to stay and on Sunday morning, we decided to put my new waffle Iron to the test. We then decided to shoot two birds with one stone and use my new Kitchenaid as well. Within about ten minutes, our ingredients were out and our two high tech appliances to the test. Six waffles each (twelve overall) later, we decided that maybe we should have halved the recipe or at least offered some to the rest of the house. Nevertheless, despite the practically exploding tummies we both agreed that they were extremely yummy!


Bare Necessities
2cups Flour
2tsp Baking Powder
2tbsp Sugar
1tsp Salt
2cups Milk
2 Eggs
2tbsp Olive Oil


1. Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.
2. Add the milk, eggs and olive oil.
3. Beat until the mixture is totally smooth and there are no lumps
4. Pour some of the mixture onto your heated waffle iron (I don't know how much that will be, it all depends on the size of your waffle iron) and cook the mixture until golden brown.
5. Serve up with Nutella, maple syrup, golden syrup, sugar or even butter!

Tuesday 6 March 2012

Super Sexy Cinnamon Rolls With An Even Sexier Glazing

Some of you may have known that last Thursday on the 1st March I celebrated being one year less young. How did I celebrate this? by eating cake of course! Who wouldn't want to eat copious amounts of cake right before the summer when they're trying to slim down in order to pull of the bikini that they've yet to brave? Anyways, I deserved it! I'm sixteen! And, to celebrate this fact, I decided to treat all you readers out there to a full list of the new privileges that I'm entitled to here in England now that I'm sixteen (thanks again Google):
  • I can live independently, subject to certain conditions being met. 
  • I can get married with my parents' consent.
  • I can ride a moped of up to 50ccs.
  • I can pilot a glider.
  • I can legally have sex with a boy (Woo).
  • I can have an abortion without my parents' consent.
  • I can have beer or cider whilst eating a meal in a restaurant or an eating area of a pub, but not in the bar.
  • I can get a full time job.
  • I can withdraw more money from a bank than before (not that I know how much that was).
  • I can leave home (but don't worry mum, that's not happening any time soon).
  • I may leave school (not that I'm intending to).
  • I can buy a lottery ticket.
  • I can buy premium bonds.
  • I can sell scrap metal.
  • I can join a Trade Union.
  • I can choose my own doctor.
  • I can claim social security benefit.
  • I can apply for a passport.

Phew! That's a long list! Mind you, I doubt I will be doing most of these things as of yet, but It's nice to know I can. My birthday was actually extended over a total of three days, because I was at school on Thursday and Friday, and then went out for a birthday dinner on Saturday night. But after those three days, boy was I happy! My wonderful mother gave me a Kitchen aid (my jaw actually hit the floor when I got this) and I used that twice over the weekend (more of that later); her boyfriend (who is, I think I should mention, a bit of a babe) and his children gave me a waffle iron (again, more on that later), an adorable little cake shaped timer a worktop saver and a matching set of three adorable cake tins and finally, my awesome brother gave me two lovely mixing bowls and some really cool cupcake cases. How lucky am I?!?!

Ok, now I realise that I'm boring you all so I will just shut up and get on with the recipe.
Oh God. No one will know how long I have been searching for a fabulous cinnamon roll recipe, and while this one isn't quite the bee's knees, for one that I didn't even have to leave to rise, I was pretty damn impressed! Even my mum, who doesn't really like cinnamon said she liked them, but then again, she is my mum, and I guess she's supposed to say that, but Freddie said they weren't too bad which, for anyone who knows him, is quite the complement!
Now I really will shut up and give you the recipe!

Actually one more thing, a quick thank you to Mercedes from Desert Candy whom I have stolen this recipe from, she is awesome and I literally want to cook almost every one of her recipes! Seriously, check it out.

Ok sorry! Here's the recipe!

Super Sexy Cinnamon Rolls With An Even Sexier Glazing
Bare Necessities
For the rolls
2cups/200g Plain Flour
2tbsp Brown Sugar
1tsp Baking powder
1/2tsp Baking soda
1/2tsp Salt
4tbsp Butter
3/4cup/177ml Milk

For the filling
1/4cup/50g Brown Sugar
1tbsp Cinnamon

For the glaze
2tbsp Cream Cheese
3-4tbsp Milk
1cup Icing Sugar (plus a bit extra to edit the consistency)

1. Preheat the oven to 425F/220C.
2. Grease and line a square tin.
3. On a low heat, melt the butter.
4. Once the butter has melted, turn the heat to the lowest and add the 3/4cup of milk and then take of the heat and leave to cool.
5. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, 2tbsp sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
6. Slowly fold in the milk and butter mix until fully combined.
7. Once the dough is of a mailable texture, roll out to about 10/18inches (26/46cm) on a floured surface.
8. Combine the 1/4cup brown sugar with the cinnamon and sprinkle over the dough until fully covered. If needs be, feel free to make some more, but it should be enough.
9. Gently roll up from one of the short ends until the dough is all rolled up.
10. If it is particularly warm in your kitchen, you may want to wrap it in cling film and leave it in the fridge to chill for 10 mins. If not, just ignore this step.
11. Slice up the roll at roughly 2inch (5cm) intervals and place them snugly into the pan.
12. Pop into the oven for 20-25 mins or until a nice golden colour.
13. Mix together the cream cheese, remaining milk and icing sugar until a drizzleable consistency, adding more icing sugar or milk as you need.
14. Once the rolls are out and cool, place them on a plate and drizzle the icing over the top and enjoy!