One of the nicest things about the holiday season is that the shops are loaded with affordable, well prices little boxes of these delightfully delicious little morsels of temptation. Another nice thing is that . . . because it's Christmas, after all . . . one doesn't have to feel totally guilty about indulging . . . well, I don't at any rate! (I'll worry about that in January, thankyou very much!)



I went a bit crazy in Lidl's the other day and bought umpteen little boxes of these Ferrero Roche . . . thinking that I would give one to each of the sisters that I visit teach and . . . well . . . somehow I ended up with an extra one! Don't ask me how that happened . . . I have no feasible or believable explanation . . .



Anyways, I was going to make some cupcakes today because the missionaries were bringing over an investigator to teach in our home and I thought it would be a nice thing to do. I was just going to make my old plain buttery cupcake recipe and then I had an epiphany of sorts . . .



I looked at the cupcake recipe and then I looked at this extra box of ferrero rocher and I thought . . . oh wouldn't a cupcake just be the most delicious thing on earth if you hid a ferrero rocher in the middle of it before you baked them??? I mean, how wonderful would that be???



And so . . . I did it. I baked those cupcakes with a tasty little ferrero rocher chocolate truffle hidden in the centre of each one . . . and then . . . well . . . I slathered the tops of them with tons of gorgeous buttery moreishly delicious chocolate buttercream icing.
And then . . .



Why, I ate one of course! You wouldn't expect me to feed anything to anybody without having tasted it first would you??? I thought so . . . oh my the sacrifices I must make in the line of duty are nobody's business!



*Surprise Cupcakes*
Makes about 9
Printable Recipe

Buttery cupcakes with a sweet surprise centre of a truffle or other treat, and slathered with Chocolate Buttercream Icing. Decadently delicious!

4 ounces butter, softened (1/2 cp)
4 ounces white sugar (1/2 cup plus 1 TBS)
2 large free range eggs
4 ounces self raising flour (3/4 cup plus 2 TBS)
1 tsp baking powder

For the Buttercream Icing:
2 TBS cocoa powder, sifted (not chocolate drinking powder)
3 TBS hot water
6 ounces butter, softened (1/2 cup plus 4 TBS)
12 ounces icing sugar, sifted (3/4 pound)

To fill:
9 truffles, ferrer roche, etc.

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Line 9 muffin cups with paper liners. Set aside.

Measure all the cake ingredients into a bowl and beat well for about 2 to 3 minutes until well blended and smooth. Fill the paper cups 1/3 up with some of the batter. Press one truffle (or whatever you are using) lightly into the centre and then top with another dollop of cake batter to cover. The cups should be ab out half full.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until well risen and golden brown. Remove from the oven and then from the tin to cool completely on a wire rack before proceeding.

Once the cakes are completely cooled make the buttercream.

To make the icing, blend the cocoa powder and hot water together. Allow to cool slightly, then add the butter and icing sugar. Beat until smooth and fluffy. Spread a portion of this buttercream over the top of each cupcake.

Store any leftovers in an airtight container.



Over in The Cottage today, delicious Grilled Chicken with Herbed Butter, Almonds and Gruyere.

I came to love Nutella rather late in life. I never really "got" the fascination with it until a few years ago. Then all of a sudden it clicked and I fell in love with it. Since then I have always kept a jar of it in my cupboard and of course use it at any opportunity that I can.



I've also come to admit to a certain fascination with five minute mug cakes in recent years. "Almost" instant gratification is certainly more than a bit of a temptation . . . especially when you have a sweet tooth, and love chocolate as I do. The Toddster hates chocolate, and most notably chocolate cakes . . . so a chocolate cake, built for one certainly has it's attraction where I am concerned. No waste involved.

I ran across a Five Minute Nutella Chocolate Mug Cake here. It certainly looked delicious to say the least! I had everything to make it, and I couldn't wait to get stuck in.



I wisked the dry ingredients together in the mug first, so that the cocoa wouldn't be all lumpy and would be evenly mixed in.



Then I added all the wet ingredients and whisked it again until smooth. Everything certainly looked pretty fine at this point. Into the microwave it went . . .

Buzz . . . humm . . . two minutes later I had this . . .



WOAH!! Ultimate overflow! And I used my biggest mug too! I can only think that the picture with the original recipe . . . which showed two mugs . . . should have been a really big clue. This is a two mugger cake!!



Nevermind . . . I dumped it all into a bowl and enjoyed it anyways. It was kinda like one of those fudge cakes that makes it's own sauce on the bottom . . . except it was better . . . coz . . .

1. It was mine . . . ALL mine!
2. It had nutella in it.
3. It was done and in my bowl in less than 5 minutes.

What could be better???

I do recommend if you make this that you divide it amongst two mugs. You will be pleasantly rewarded with two fudgy chocolate cakes and no mess. Or you can just throw caution to the wind and make a mess like I did. In any case you will enjoy. Trust me. (My directions reflect the changes I would make should I make this again, and I will make this again, no question!)

No Mitzie . . . chocolate cake is not for dogs. Sorry.



*Five Minute Nutella Mug Cake*
Makes 2 servings
Printable Recipe

Almost instant chocolate cake gratification. In a mug. Just for you.

4 TBS self raising flour
4 TBS sugar
3 TBS cocoa powder (not drink mix)
1 large free range egg
3 TBS nutella (YUMM!)
3 TBS milk
3 TBS vegetable oil

Whisk together the dry ingredients. Divide equally between two mugs. Whisk together the remaining ingredients until smooth. Divide these equally between the two mugs and again whisk each together until smooth. Cook each in the microwave (separately) for 1 to 2 minutes, until risen and set. Wait a few minutes and then serve.

Can top with whipped cream and chocolate sauce, or just a nice scoop of Vanilla Bean icecream.

Note: Mine was really fudgy, which I liked. If you don't want that result, then cook for a bit longer. I rather enjoyed the chocolate sauce.



Over in The Cottage today, a delicious Pumpkin Pie.

The Toddster wasn't feeling very well this morning. He hardly slept a wink last night and then stayed in bed for most of the day . . . feeling feverish and out of sorts. He is so healthy most of the time . . . in great shape for being 73 . . . when he doesn't feel well, it really worries me.



I wanted to make him something special to try to make him feel a bit better. He loves jam tarts. He loves jam anything. That is a weakness we both share.



So I got busy this morning . . . did some laundry and hung it out to dry whilst the sun was shining. (It didn't take long to disappear! I'm sure it saw me hanging out the clothes and decided to take a hike!)



I puttered around the kitchen and then I made him these tasty Almond Jam Tarts. I was sorely tempted to drizzle some icing over top . . . but I think that would have been a bit much for him, where he wasn't feeling well.



I took him to the Doctors this afternoon and he's on anti-biotics now . . . hopefully they will do the trick. Right now he's enjoying a couple of these tasty tarts with a mug of Horlicks.



There's nothing like some lovin' from the oven' to help a man feel a bit brighter, don't you think? He said it was feed a fever, starve a cold. It might be the other way around . . . but I'm not taking any chances! He is feeling quite a bit better now, which is a relief. ( I do confess . . . I had a few too. ☺)



*Almond Jam Tarts*
Makes 12
Printable Recipe

Delicious tarts, with a Frangipane filling, covering sweet Raspberry jam and topped with flaked almonds. Fabulous!

1/3 pound of short crust pastry
(your own recipe or store bought)

For the filling:
3 TBS seedless raspberry jam
3 ounces butter, softened (6 TBS)
3 ounces caster sugar (7.1 TBS)
4 ounces ground almonds (1 1/3 cups)
2 ounces ground rice (4 1/2 TBS)
1 medium free range egg, lightly beaten

a handful of flaked almonds to top

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5.

Roll the pastry out to 1/4 inch thickness and cut into rounds approximately 4 inches in diameter. Line a 12 hole patty pan with the rounds of pastry. Set aside.

Cream together the butter and sugar. Stir in the ground almonds and rice. Mix in the egg, mixing all together well.

Spoon some jam into the bottom of each pastry shell. Divide the almond mixture evenly amongst the tarts and spread it over to cover the jam. Sprinkle with some flaked almonds.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until nicely browned. Do keep an eye on them during the last 10 minutes or so to make sure they aren't over browning.

Alternately the pastry can be used to line a 7 inch square pan. Spread with the jam and then the almond mixture, smoothing it over top. Sprinkle with flaked almonds and bake as above. Cut into fingers once completely cooled.



Over in the Cottage today, a deliciously easy cake that just looks like you slaved all day . . . Brown Sugar Bundt Cake.

Considered to be one of Cumbria's most popular village, Grasmere sits about halfway down the ambleside area of Lake Windemere. (The most popular of the Lakes in the Lake District.) This is due in large part to the fact that the writer William Wordsworth lived here from 1779 to 1850. It was also sometimes the home of Coleridge and Thomas de Quincy.



There is a lovely museum there where you can read their works and see photos etc. You can also visit Dove Cottage where Wordsworth lived with his sister Dorothy. A very worthwhile place to visit as well.



Another thing that Grasmere is famous for, and maybe even more famous for than it's Wordsworth connections is that it is the place that Grasmere Gingerbread is made! (Since the 1850's) The shop that makes it is tucked into a corner of the churchyard where Wordsworth now sleeps, and unmistakingly surrounded by the delicious smell of baking gingerbread.



The recipe, of course, is a very close held secret, but there are a few versions about, all claiming to be as good as the orignal. Jamie Oliver has a version here. (It looks very, very good too, I might add.) I also found another recipe on the BBC Good Food site, which I have adapted to American ingredients and measurements below.



In any case, this was my first opportunity to try out the Gingerbread, having come up here on some threee separate occasions now, and I can say . . . unequivically, without a doubt, it is some of the best Gingerbread I have ever eaten. Somewhere between a gingerbread cookie and a cake . . . it's quite unsual and quite, QUITE delicious! (I have not baked this recipe, but the picture on the BBC Good Food page looked very delicious and quite close to the original!)



*Grasmere Gingerbread*
Makes 12 slices
Printable Recipe

Adapted from a recipe on BBC Good Food.


First mix:
95g shortbread biscuits (generous 1 1/2 cups)
95g oatcake biscuits (generous 1 1/2 cups)
30g soft light brown sugar (2 1/2 TBS packed)
4ml of ground ginger (about 3/4 tsp)

Second mix:
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground allspice
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
40g mixed peel
35g crystallised Ginger (minced)(2 1/2 TBS)
40g oat flour (porrige oats put through a coffee grinder)(1/2 cup)

Toffee Mix:
55g golden syrup
30g treacle
(In North America use a scant 4 TBS of mild molasses instead
of the syrup and treacle)
70g soft light brown sugar (Generous 1/3 cup packed)
55g butter (1/4 cup)

Preheat the oven to 160*C/325*F/ gas mark 3. Grease a 7x11 inch baking tin. Set aside.

Put the "First Mix" ingredients into a food processor, and blend to a fairly fine crumb. Remove 40g of this, and put in a small bowl (to be used after the baking stage). Put the remainder into a large bowl.

Add the "Second Mix" ingredients to the large bowl. Mix in.

Put the "Toffee Mix" ingredients into a small pan. Slowly bring to boil while stirring. Using a thermometer, slowly heat until the boiling point reaches 119*C. (This temperature is quite critical.) Add this hot liquid mix to the large bowl, and mix in thoroughly. Pour this mix into the baking tin, and smooth down firmly. Bake near the middle of the oven for 15 minutes.

Spread the reserved mixture evenly onto the hot ginger slice, and press down gently. Leave to cool completely and then cut into slices. Enjoy!



If you'd like to read a little bit more about our holiday and see a video I took of the Cumbrian Fells, do hop on over to the Cottage to see more!

We had a Birthday Dinner here for a good friend of ours yesterday. I love Birthday's and celebrating them. It's always a good excuse to bake a cake, or even better . . . cupcakes!!



Who doesn't love cupcakes???? A tasty little cake, ALL for you! What could be any better than that??



Especially when they are Lemon and Poppyseed Cupcakes, all moist and lemony and topped with a delicious buttery lemon icing and some tasty candy lemon slices!!! Wowsa Wowsa!!!



These are fabulous. I adapted the recipe from one I found on the BBC GoodFood site. (That's a great site by the way. I love BBC GoodFood, the site . . . the magazine . . . and all of their cookbooks.)



If you are looking for a great cupcake, which is delicious . . . buttery, and with a bit of texture, then I highly recommend these! They were very scrummy indeed! They got High Fives all the way around the table!



*Lemon and Poppyseed Cupcakes*
Makes 12
Printable Recipe

There is something that is quintessentially delicious about combining lemon and poppyseeds! I'm not sure what it is. I only know it works. Toast the poppyseeds for even more flavour!

225g self raising flour (1 2/3 cups)
175g golden caster sugar (2/3 cup)
the zest of two unwaxed lemons
1 TBS poppyseeds, toasted
3 large free range eggs
100g natural yoghurt (about 1/2 cup)
175g butter, melted and cooled slightly (1/2 cup, plus 1 TBS)

For the Icing:
225g butter, softened (1 cup)
400g icing sugar, sifted (about 3 cups)
the juice of one lemon
few drops yellow food colouring
icing flowers, sprinkles or lemon slice candies to decorate



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

Whisk together the flour, sugar, lemon zest and poppyseeds. Beat the eggs into the yoghurt and them tip this mixture into the dry ingredients along with the melted butter. Mix together with a wooden spoon, until lump free. Fill the cake cases about 2/3 full. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until a skewer poked in the centre of one comes out clean. Cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling completely before icing.

To make the icing, beat the softened butter until really soft. Gradually beat in the icing sugar and lemon juice. Add just enough food colouring to give you a pale yellow colour. Spread on top of the cupcakes in a decorative manner. Top with some decorations. Store in an airtight container.



Seeing as it was a birthday, it also gave me the perfect excuse to use this wonderful Cupcake Stand that was sent to me by Jo at Find Me A Gift.com!!



It is completely collapsable and holds up to 23 cupcakes. (This image is of the 3 tier one, I could not find a good one of the 4 tier one to show you, but it is essentially the same, except with an extra tier.) What I did like about it, was that the cupcake holders were graduated so that it held the cupcakes snug into the holder. I also liked that it comes completely apart and stores flat, a big plus in my storage challenged household!!What I didn't like was that the top one was just flat and so the top cupcake fell off every time I moved it. I also found the whole thing, when full, a bit unwieldy, so I do recommend setting it up exactly where you want to place it. Moving it once filled is not a great idea.



It looked fabulous lit up with a variety of thin candles interspersed here and there when it came time to sing Happy Birthday, however I did not get a photo of that! Oh, and if you want to know what those other cupcakes are (in the blue wrappers) you'll just have to tune in tomorrow! (I know! I'm such a tease!)



Many thanks to Jo at Find Me a Gift.com for this handy piece of equipment. I know I will use it often!



Over in A Year From Oak Cottage this morning, some delicious Sour Cream Fruit Drops!

I saw some Irish Pancakes (of the Paul Rankin variety) in the shops the other day and I found myself wondering what was the difference between them and Scotch Pancakes or even the buttermilk pancakes from back home.



I decided to find out myself what it was, if any, and so I set out to do some research. What I discovered was quite, quite delicious!



These tasty buttermilk pancakes are a lot fluffier than the American version, but very similar to the Scotch. I don't know why, or how it works, but only that it works. Perhaps it could be that our buttermilk over here is a bit different than the buttermilk from back home. Ours is a lot thicker.



The idea of eating pancakes merely with some butter and jam was never something that I ever considered before moving over here. It seemed that they always tasted fab with butter and Maple Syrup, and I was never tempted to have them any other way, and in truth that is probably the best way of eating American style pancakes.



These however just beg to be spread with softened butter and dolloped with preserves a-la-scone like! Golden, light and fluffy they have a beautiful texture and flavour.



Do be sure to cook as soon as possible after mixing them together. The Soda reacts immediately to the buttermilk and if you delay you won't get the right lift!



Enjoy! (A hot cuppa is a must!)



*Irish Pancakes*
Amount is variable on how large you make them,
but generally speaking makes 4 to 6 servings
Printable Recipe

Better than the American kind I think. Golden, light and fluffy. Serve hot with some softened butter, preserves (or syrup) and a nice hot mug of whatever floats your boat.

8 ounces plain flour (2 cups)
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 large free range egg
1/2 pint (1 cup) buttermilk

Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl. Whisk well together and then make a well in the middle with a wooden spoon and add the egg. Break the yolk and pour in the buttermilk, mixing quickly to a thick batter. Do not beat, as this would develop the gluten in the flour and prevent the pancakes from rising. Fry in large dollops on a lightly-greased, hot griddle or heavy frying-pan. These delights are best served hot for tea, thickly spread with softened butter and preserves or golden syrup.



There's a delicious Califlower and Cashew Nut Pilau Rice dish over at A Year From Oak Cottage this morning!