HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE SAUCE

Chocolate Sauce 

Time to Make It: 15 minutes
Yield: about 2 1/2 cups

INGREDIENTS

·         1/2 cup salted butter

·         1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

·         2/3 cup milk chocolate chips

·         2 cups sugar

·         1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk

·         1 teaspoon vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS

1.     In a medium saucepan combine butter, cocoa powder, chocolate chips, sugar, and evaporated milk. Stir to combine over low heat.

2.     Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and continue simmering for 7 minutes.

3.     Remove from heat and add vanilla.

Blend the mixture for about 2 minutes using a blender, hand mixer, or immersion blender.

Chocolate Cake Recipe

Amazing Chocolate cake

Ingredients

Butter and flour for coating and dusting the cake pan

3 cups all-purpose flour

3 cups granulated sugar

1½ cups unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tablespoon baking soda

1½ teaspoons baking powder

1½ teaspoons salt

4 large eggs

1½ cups buttermilk

1½ cups warm water

½ cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Butter three 9-inch cake rounds. Dust with flour and tap out the excess. 

Mix together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a stand mixer using a low speed until combined.

Add eggs, buttermilk, warm water, oil, and vanilla. Beat on a medium speed until smooth. This should take just a couple of minutes.

Divide batter among the three pans. I found that it took just over 3 cups of the batter to divide it evenly.

Bake for 30-35 minutes until the cake meets the toothpick test (stick a toothpick in and it comes out clean).

Cool on wire racks for 15 minutes and then turn out the cakes onto the racks and allow to cool completely.

Frost with your favorite frosting and enjoy!

Notes

The better quality cocoa powder you use the better the cake will taste.

Swiss Roll (Jam Roll)

Swiss Rolls

Ingredients

4 medium free range eggs

110g caster sugar, plus extra for dusting

75g self raising flour

400ml double cream, whipped

100g seedless raspberry jam

3 sprigs of mint

250g raspberries

250g strawberries

Method

For the roulade sponge, preheat the oven to 190C/170C fan /Gas 5.

Line a 23x33cm (9x13in) Swiss roll tin with baking parchment.

Place the eggs, sugar into a bowl and whisk until very light, fluffy and thickened.

Add the flour to the mixture and fold in.

Pour the mixture into the lined tin and smooth it out with a spatula until evenly spread.

Bake the sponge for 10-12 minutes or until just firm to the touch.

Wet a tea towel until slightly damp and put onto the work surface, cover with a sheet of baking parchment that is slightly bigger than the tray onto the work surface and dust with some caster sugar.

Flip the sponge over onto the parchment paper, then peel off the parchment on the bottom of the sponge. Set aside to cool slightly.

Whip the double cream in a bowl until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed.

To assemble the roulade, spread the jam over the cooled sponge, leaving a 2cm (1in) gap around the edge.

Spread half the whipped cream over the top of the jam.

Take the longest edge, then using the parchment paper and tea towel roll up the sponge quite tightly, making sure the filling stays inside. Decorate by piping the remaining cream, and using whole strawberries, mint leaves, and raspberries.

Chocolate Walnut Fudge

Chocolate Walnut Fudge 

INGREDIENTS

400 g sweetened condensed milk

100 g chopped almonds or 100 g walnuts or 100 g peanuts or 100 g cashews (or use a mixture of nuts)

1⁄2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

50 g butter

3⁄4 cup sugar

DIRECTIONS

Grease a shallow dish with butter.

Pour condensed milk into a thick-bottomed pan.

Add butter, sugar, cocoa powder and the chopped nuts into the pan.

Stir continuously on a low flame till the mixture leaves the sides of the pan (about 15 minutes).

Remove from flame and pour evenly into the prepared greased dish.

Allow to cool and set, and cut into 1 inch squares.

Store in an airtight tin in the refrigerator

MUFFINS

Muffins 

INGREDIENTS

2 cups white flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 cup milk

1/4 cup melted butter

PREPARATION

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter muffin pans. Mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Add the egg, milk, and butter, stirring only enough to dampen the flour; the batter should not be smooth. Spoon into the muffin pans, filling each cup about two-thirds full. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes each.

Blueberry Muffins.

Use 1/2 cup sugar. Reserve 1/4 cup of the flour, sprinkle it over 1 cup blueberries, and stir them into the batter last.

Date or Raisin Muffins.

Add 1/2 cup chopped pitted dates or 1/3 cup raisins to the batter.

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

INGREDIENTS

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

2 cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels

1 cup chopped nuts

PREHEAT oven to 375° F.

COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

PAN COOKIE VARIATION: Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan. Prepare dough as above. Spread into prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack. Makes 4 dozen bars.

SLICE AND BAKE COOKIE VARIATION:

PREPARE dough as above. Divide in half; wrap in waxed paper. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm. Shape each half into 15-inch log; wrap in wax paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.* Preheat oven to 375° F. Cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices; place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

* May be stored in refrigerator for up to 1 week or in freezer for up to 8 weeks.

FOR HIGH ALTITUDE BAKING (5,200 feet): Increase flour to 2 1/2 cups. Add 2 teaspoons water with flour and reduce both granulated sugar and brown sugar to 2/3 cup each. Bake drop cookies for 8 to 10 minutes and pan cookie for 17 to 19 minutes.

Simple Vanilla Cake

SIMPLE VANILLA CAKE

• SERVES 6
• PREPARATION 10 mins
• COOKING 50 mins


INGREDIENTS

• 175g (6oz) margarine or softened butter
• 175g (6oz) caster sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 175g (6oz) self-raising flour, sifted
• 1tsp baking powder
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• pinch of salt

METHOD
1. Heat the oven to 180°C (gas mark 4). Lightly grease an 18cm (7in) round cake tin with a little extra butter or margarine and cut a piece of greaseproof paper or non-stick baking parchment to fit the base of the tin.

2. Put all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and beat with a wooden spoon or a hand-held mixer for 1 minute, or until just combined. It's important not to beat the batter too much - just long enough to make it smooth.

3. Pour or spoon the mixture into the tin, smooth the top and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for about 45-50 minutes. The cake is cooked when it looks well risen and golden; the top should spring back when lightly touched with a fingertip. Another test is to insert a skewer into the centre of the cake - it should come out clean.

4. Let the cake sit in the tin for 5 minutes, then gently run a knife around the edge and turn the cake out onto a wire rack to cool. Serve dusted with icing sugar.

Top tips

If the idea of being able to bake sounds tempting but a little scary, this is the perfect cake for you. It's infinitely variable and incredibly easy to make. Release your inner goddess and have a go. Simply place all the ingredients in a bowl and beat until combined. You can mix with a wooden spoon, a hand-held electric mixer or by using the pulse action of a food processor.

Using margarine, rather than butter, works really well for this cake and saves you the bother and time of having to soften the butter before you start. Don't be tempted to open the oven before 40 minutes - you'll regret it! Put the cake in an airtight container and it can be stored for up to 2 days.

Carrot Cake Recipe

Carrot Cake 

Ingredients:

o    1 cup self raising flour

o    ¾ cup brown sugar

o    ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

o    ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

o    2/3 cup olive oil

o    2 eggs, lightly beaten

o    2½ cups carrot, finely grated (or you can use 2 cups carrot and ½ cup walnuts, roughly chopped)

Method:

1.    Preheat oven to 180 degrees.

2.    Sift flour into a bowl.

3.    Add sugar and spices and mix.

4.    Pour in oil and eggs, then mix with an electric beater for 1-2 minutes.

5.    With a wooden spoon, stir in carrot and walnuts.

6.    Pour into a lined 18cm spring form tin and bake for an hour.

Cake should be cooled in tin for 15 minutes before turning out

Banana Cake recipe

Banana Cake  

Original recipe makes 1 - 9x13 inch pan

·        
3/4 cup butter

·        

2 1/8 cups white sugar

·         

3 eggs

·         

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

·         

3 cups all-purpose flour

·         

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

·         

1/4 teaspoon salt

·         

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

·         

2 teaspoons lemon juice

·         

1 1/2 cups mashed bananas

·          

·         1/2 cup butter, softened

·         

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

·         

3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

·         1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1.      Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan. In a small bowl, mix mashed bananas with lemon juice, set aside. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

2.      In a large bowl, cream 3/4 cup butter and 2 1/8 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Stir in banana mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan.

3.      Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place directly into freezer for 45 minutes. This will make the cake very moist.

4.      For the frosting: In a large bowl, cream 1/2 cup butter and cream cheese until smooth. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add confectioners sugar and beat on low speed until combined, then on high until frosting is smooth. Spread on cooled cake.

Brownie recipes

Best Brownies 

·        
1/2 cup butter

·         

1 cup white sugar

·         

2 eggs

·         

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

·         

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

·        

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

·      

1/4 teaspoon salt

·         

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

·         

      Frosting:

·         

3 tablespoons butter, softened

·         

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

·         

1 tablespoon honey

·         

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

·         

1 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

1  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8-inch square pan.

2  

    In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat in 1/3 cup cocoa, 1/2 cup flour, salt, and baking powder. Spread batter into prepared pan.

3    

    Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Do not overcook.

4   

    To Make Frosting: Combine 3 tablespoons softened butter, 3 tablespoons cocoa, honey, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 cup confectioners' sugar. Stir until smooth. Frost brownies while they are still warm.

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