I have been rather indulging myself lately . . . naughty me, when I was doing so well before the move. It is so hard to not eat all the wonderful things that I bake . . . they are so very tempting.

Sometimes I am content with just a taste . . . but lately . . . I'm afraid that I have not been so good, and have been imbibing just a bit too much.



I decided to try to make a Brownie that would satisfy my chocolate craving . . . but not tip me over the top. Not an easy quest to be sure . . . but quite doable as you can see.



These ended up quite scrummy . . . not as good as my Fudge Walnut Brownies, to be sure . . . but not so bad, and definitely fulfilling that chocolate craving.



The secret is to not overbake them . . . anytime you take the fat and calories out of something you risk taking out a lot of the flavour and moistness . . . so overbaking these is a definite no no . . . (I cannot stress this enough!)



A lot of low fat brownie recipes do use prune puree . . . but I did not want any hint of fruit in my chocolate indulgence. They tend to mask some of the chocolate flavour as well . . . and what is the point? When you want chocolate, you want chocolate, full stop . . .



I do hope you will give these a try. Whilst they are not as good as the full fat version, they are a satisfying substitute . . . and in the scheme of low fat . . . that is what counts!




*Light Brownies*
Makes one 8 inch square pan
Printable Recipe

Make sure you use good quality semisweet chocolate in these, not chocolate chips. The additives in chocolate chips will result in a much drier brownie. Be careful not to overbake.

2 1/2 ounces plain flour (1/2 cup, sifted)
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 TBS Dutch process cocoa powder, sifted
1 TBS hot water
1 TBS vanilla extract
1/2 tsp coffee powder, rubbed through a seive until very fine
2 TBS unsalted butter
3 ounces semi sweet chocolate, good quality, chopped fine
3 1/2 ounces sugar (1/2 cup)
pinch salt
1 large free range egg, beaten lightly
Icing sugar for dusting (optional)

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/Gas mark 4. Line an 8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang so that you can easily lift them out when done.

Whisk the flour and baking powder together. Set aside.

Whisk together the cocoa powder, hot water, vanilla and coffee powder, until smooth. Set aside.

Melt the butter and semi sweet chocolate in a microwave on medium heat, or in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Set aside.

Measure the sugar and salt into a bowl, whisking them together. Stir in the melted chocolate/butter mixture and the cocoa powder mixture. Mix well and then whisk in the beaten egg. Fold in the flour mixture, folding it in only until just incorporated. Spread into the prepared pan, smoothing the top over.

Bake for about 20 minutes, on the middle rack of the oven. Turn around halfway through the baking time. Test a few minutes before the baking time is up. A toothpick inserted in the centre should come out with a few moist crumbs. Do NOT overbake.

Remove to a wire rack to cool for about an hour. Lift out of the pan by using the parchment paper overhand. Dust with icing sugar if desired and then cut into squares to serve.

Over here in England they call cupcakes Fairy Cakes. How can you not just love something which is called a Fairy Cake!!! A name like that gives something that is already scrumptious, an even more mythical mystical scrumdiddlyumptious quality!!!




I mean . . . if the fairies are feasting on these kinds of cakes, then they must be very good indeed!

I love to visit the Tate & Lyle site and am a fan of their We Love Baking page on Facebook. Every so often they post a link on their back to their baking site and the recipe of the month, which this month, happened to be these Sticky Ginger Fairy Cakes.



As soon as I saw this recipe, I knew I had to bake it. We both are big fans of gingerbread in this house! This recipe was right up my alley.

I wanted to kick up the spice a notch though and so I added some additional warmth by adding some ground cardamom and cloves . . . and some vanilla.



Oh my but they are moreishly tasty. Of course you can get the recipe in it's original form on their baking page. Or you can just print out my variation. Their page is definitely worth a peek though, as there are other yummy recipes there as well.




*Sticky Ginger Fairy Cakes*
Makes 12
Printable Recipe

Adapted from the Taste and Smile page on Tate and Lyle.

5 ounces Dark Brown Soft sugar
(3/4 of a cup)
4 ounces Golden Syrup**
(1/2 cup)
3 ounces Black Treacle**
(slightly less than 1/2 cup, halfway between
the half and the 1/4 mark on your measure)
6 ounces unsalted butter
(3/4 of a cup)
8 ounces plain flour
(1 1/2 cups plus 2 TBS)
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 TBS ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs, beaten
150ml milk
(5 fluid ounces on the measuring cup)

For the Icing:
the juice of one lemon
175g of icing sugar, sifted
(about 1 1/4 cups)

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/Gas mark 4. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners. Set aside.

Place the butter, golden syrup, dark treacle and sugar into a saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until the butter has melted. Allow to cool somewhat. Whisk in the milk, vanilla and the eggs.

Sift the flour into a bowl along with the soda and the spices. Pour the wet ingredients over top and quickly stir together. Pour this mixture into a large measuring jug and them divide the mixture equally amongst the lined muffin cases, filling them about 3/4 full.

Bake in the heated oven for 30 minutes, until well risen and the tops spring back when lightly touched. Remove from the oven and allow to sit in the pan for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Once they have cooled completely whisk together the icing sugar and the lemon juice, adding only as much of the lemon juice as you need to make a thick drizzable consistency. Drizzle over top of the cakes with a spoon and allow to set before serving. Delicious!

**Note - you can substitute an equal amount of mild molasses for the syrup and the treacle.

A good friend of ours has been a bit under the weather lately. As she is also a bit elderly, this can be somewhat serious, and we wanted to go and visit her this afternoon, both to cheer her up and to check on her, and to make sure she had everything she needed . . .



I didn't want to go empty handed though. I wanted our cheer up visit to be more than just our two ugly mugs . . . I wanted to bring her a little treat that might tempt her appetite a bit, and bring a smile to her face.



Cupcakes are the perfect portable pressie for someone who is ailing. Just small enough that they aren't too much for them to handle, and yet so cute and tasty looking, that they are sure to tempt even the smallest appetite.

Little cakes are sure to bring a smile to most people's faces . . .



Especially when you dress them up in lacy coats and candy sprinkles. These were well received and went down a real treat. Slightly spicy with the warm flavours of chai tea and a lucious lemon buttercream icing.



*Chai Cupcakes*
Makes one dozen
Printable Recipe

A delicious cupcake, with spicy warm flavours, and a delicious lemony buttercream icing on top!

For the cupcakes:
8 ounces self raising flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
1 TBS chai tea powder
2 1/2 ounces unsalted butter, softened
5 ounces soft light brown sugar
2 large egg whites
5 fluid ounces of sour milk
(To sour milk add 1 tsp of lemon juice to a measuring beaker and add
milk to the measure required. Let stand for 5 minutes before using. You
can also use an equivalent amount of buttermilk)

For the Icing:
5 ounces butter, softened
10 ounces icing sugar, sifted
the juice of one lemon as required
a few drops of yellow foodcolouring if desired

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/Gas mark 4. LIne a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners. Set aside.

Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and chai tea powder together into a medium bowl. In a separate bowl cream the butter and brown sugar together until smooth and light. Add the egg whites, slowly beating them in until the mixture is well amalgamated. Stir in the flour mixture along with the buttermilk, mixing until well combined. Divide the mixture equally amongst the prepared cups. Bake for 20 minutes, or until they test done and the top springs back when lightly touched. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pans to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the icing beat all of the ingredients together, adding only enough lemon juice to make an icing of proper spreading consistency. You may or may not need it all. Add 1 TBS at a time. Spread over the tops of the cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle with sprinkles if desired. Delicious!



You didn't think I was going to give a cake to someone that I hadn't already test tasted first . . . just to make sure they were gift worthy . . . ahem . . . you know how it is!

One might be tempted to ask if Whoopie Pies belong in an English Kitchen. I know they are an American Invention, or more specifically Pennsylvania Dutch.

Whoopie Pies are coming in to vogue over here now though, and there are a few recipes floating about. I believe they are on the verge of becoming the new cupcake or macaron . . . but I could be wrong.



This is my recipe that I have been using for a very long time now. In fact my sister and I once both won blue ribbons at our respective county fairs by making these very same whoopie pies. I think we also each got a set of pot holders and an apron from Fry's Cocoa. It was quite a thrill at the time.



Moist, delicious and chocolatey, these are bound to become a real family favourite. You can use purchased Marshallow Cream in them or you can make the recipe for a homemade version of it, which I have included. I had a jar of marshmallow cream that needed using up so that is what I used the other day. In all honesty afterwards I wished that I had made the mousseline buttercream "marshmallow cream" instead . . . but . . . oh well.




They still went down a treat.




*Whoopie Pies*
Makes six 3 1/2 inch whoopie pies
Printable Recipe

More like little chocolate cake sandwiches rather than cookies, I don't know anyone that doesn't love these.

1.5 ounces dark chocolate (at least 60% cacao) chopped
4.2 ounces dark brown muscovado sugar (1/2 cup firmly packed)
1 large egg, at room temperature
2 TBS canola or safflower oil, room temperature
2 TBS butter, room temperature
125g flour (1 cup plus 1 1/2 TBS)
18g cocoa powder (3 TBS plus 2 tsp)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
4 fluid ounces of buttermilk (1/2 cup)

For the marshmallow filling:

50g sugar (1/4 cup)
2 TBS corn syrup or golden syrup
1 TBS water
1 large egg white, at room temperature
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
1 TBS unsalted butter
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
4 ounces of butter, slightly softened (1/2 cup)
1/5 ounces of icing sugar, sifted (1/4 cup plus 2 TBS)

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F. Butter two baking sheets. Set aside.

Place the chocolate into a microwaveable bowl and melt it in the microwave, stirring every 15 seconds, or place it in the top of a double boiler, set over hot, not simmering water, stirring often. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool until it is no longer warm to the touch but still fluid.

Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Sift to remove any lumps.

Cream together the brown sugar, egg, oil and butter with an electric mixer until smooth and pale in colour.

Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture alternately with the buttermilk, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed, and beating only until just incorporated, starting on low speed and raising it only to medium speed. Scoop out in 2 TBS rounds onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving lots of space in between.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time. They are done when the tops spring back when lightly touched in the centre.

Remove the cakes to wire racks to cool.

To make the marshmallow filling: Have a pint glass heatproof measure ready. In a small heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, cornsyrup and water. Stir until all the sugar is moistened. Heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar is dissolved, and the mixture is bubbling. Stop stirring and turn out the burner. If using an electric range, remove the pan from the heat altogether.

Beat the egg white in a mixing bowl, on high speed until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form with the beater is raised slowly. Increase the temperature under the sugar syrup and boil until an instant read thermometer reads 120*C/248*F. Immediately transfer the sugar syrup to the glass measure to stop the cooking.

Beat the syrup into the meringue in a steady stream, trying to avoid letting the syrup hit the beaters as they will spin it onto the sides of the bowl. Lower the sped slightly and continue to beat until the outside of the bowl no longer feels hot. Beat in the 1 TBS of butter until smooth and then beat in the vanilla. Chil for 9 to 10 minutes, until it is cool, but still soft.

In a clean bowl, beat the 4 ounces of butter along with the powdered sugar until soft and creamy. Increase the speed to high and beat until the mixture is very light in texture. Lowser the speed to medium and add all the meringue, beating it in until incorporated and the buttercream is smooth.

Place about 3 gently roundes tablespoons of cream between two cakes to make a sandwich, pressing down slightly so that the cream reaches the edges of the cakes. Repeat with the remaining cakes.



and then . . . they were gone.