This blog has moved

After tiring myself out trying to update two blogs - I have finally decided to merge it all together.  Please click here for the new link. You will need to click in and start following again. The new virtual space will incorporate baking as well as other things I am into.

Apologies for the inconvenience but keeping blogs updated is exhausting - phew!
See you at NJ's randomness soon :)

Wake up and smell the coffee!

Mocha Cake

I offered hubby a choice between lemon drizzle and coffee cake (I don't know why I bothered - I knew he'd pick coffee!!!) Since I'm not that big a coffee cake fan, but wanted to try the recipe, I tweaked the original Hummingbird recipe to include a teeny tiny chocolate angle which gave it its mocha flavour.  

I took some in for the work colleagues who said it was lovely and light and then promptly got told off for not having frosted it.....as you can see it doesn't look that great minus frosting but it did taste good :)

So for all those of you with a sweet tooth out there - I have included the recipe for the frosting, but if like me you're trying to keep sugar levels low - then you can make it without too and you won't be disappointed. 

Mocha Cake

Serving: 12 – 16 slices

Ingredients

1 tbsp instant coffee granules

225 g unsalted butter at room temperature

225 g caster sugar

4 eggs

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp cocoa powder

30 g dark chocolate – melted (this can be done in a microwave)

23 cm round cake tin, greased and lined

Method

1.       Make a coffee essence by putting the instant coffee granules in 80 ml water in a small saucepan and boil till it is reduced by half.  Remove from heat and let it cool completely.

2.       Preheat the oven to 170 degrees Celsius.

3.       In a bowl, mix together the butter, sugar and coffee essence and cream together until light and fluffy. 

4.       Add the eggs one at a time making sure to beat well. 

5.       Add the melted chocolate.

6.       Sift together the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder.  Add this to the above mixture folding lightly, until the mixture is light and fluffy.

7.       Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin.

8.       Bake in the preheated oven for roughly 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. 

Frosting

250 g icing sugar, sifted

80 g unsalted butter at room temperature

25 ml whole milk

Couple of drops of vanilla extract

1 tsp coffee essence (as made above)

Beat the icing sugar and butter together with an electric mixer.  Combine milk and vanilla extract in a separate bowl and add to the butter and sugar mixture, one spoon at a time.  Continue to beat until light and fluffy.  Add the coffee essence. 

Decorate with chocolate shavings and coffee beans.

Lazy!!!

is what I have been for the past few days......:(
On the upside, I've found a recipe for a spiced pear cake today that I really want to try! I will try and post a recipe this evening  for a mocha cake that I made the other day.  Keep your eyes peeled.
Have a good day everyone!

Lemon Biscuits

These are from a recipe by Rachel Allen and I make them regularly with my 2 year old - very easy to do and they taste scrumptious. 

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Serving: Makes around 25 medium sized round cookies

Ingredients

175 g plain flour

Zest of 1 lemon (grated fine)

110 g soft butter cut into pieces

50 g caster sugar

Method

1.      Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius / Gas mark 4.

2.      Put the flour and lemon rind into the bowl. Now add the chopped butter and rub in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.  Do not use the palm of your hand.

3.      Add the caster sugar. Bring the whole mixture together to form a dough.  Initially it will feel like its not coming together but do not add water.  Be patient, you will be able to form a dough.

4.      Roll out dough to about ½ cm thickness and cut into shapes with cookie cutters.

5.      Place carefully on a baking tray and cook for 8 – 10 mins in the oven or until they turn lightly golden. 

6.      The cookies will feel soft to touch.  They will only harden on cooling – so ensure that you take them out of the oven when the edges start browning.

7.      Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.  They will keep in an airtight container for about a week (assuming they stay that long!!!)

Variation: You can use orange rind instead of lemon or a mixture of lemon and orange.