Wednesday 10 February 2010

Now what have I done, lol



A really lovely lady called Liz ( what else, tehehehe, such a good name ) talked me into joining this rather fun Valentine's party, 14 Days of Love. I missed the first week, but just made it in time for the start of the second week. You can read all about it here. Today's topic is Sweets for the Sweet, all about luscious sweet recipes for your favourite cakes, biscuits, beverages, sweets, whatever. SO NOT FAIR! I have been craving cake all day long, lol! Just have a look at the luscious yummy recipes that the various people have posted, it'll get you drooling, definitely.

Now, I got a bit of a problem here. My alltime favourite dessert is trifle. My DH's whisky trifle. I love it above all other desserts. And I get somewhat possessive about it, nobody is allowed seconds, because I need leftover trifle for the next day. Have to have another trifle fix then. I would love to show you a lovingly prepared trifle, but I don't have any photos, I am sorry. So there is not much point in sharing the recipe with you either. Bummer. Maybe I can talk him into making a trifle tomorrow and I'll take pics then and add them to this post.

Then I thought I would share the recipes and photos of a few other favourite desserts from a couple of our cookery books. And remembered that since I changed computers a couple of weeks ago to one with Vista, my Canon scanner won't work anymore ( oh, and Canon don't do new drivers for mine, grrrr ). So, no pictures of Jamie Oliver's Sheila's pudding either, sigh.

But, despair not, I have a recipe to share with you, my friend JJ is helping me out. She makes the most fabulous muffins, which just melt in the mouth, and are incredibly morish. And best of all, they are full of healthy stuff.

Here goes, a very delicious, healthy, unpretentious everday dollop of yumminess -


Blueberry & Oat muffins Makes 12

105g wholemeal flour
115g plain flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
90g rolled oats
1 medium egg
2 medium egg whites
125ml maple syrup (I used honey & it worked fine)
180ml buttermilk (or semi-skimmed milk/soya milk soured with lemon juice)
3 tablespoons rapeseed oil (I used vegetable oil)
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
225g fresh blueberries, rinsed & patted dry

1 Preheat oven to 200C/Gas 6. Lightly grease a 12-hole muffin tin or insert paper cups
2 In a large bowl, whisk together the wholemeal flour, plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt & cinnamon. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the oats and stir the rest into the mixture

3 In a medium bowl, whisk the egg and egg whites with the maple syrup until smooth. Add the buttermilk, oil, orange zest and juice, and vanilla extract. Whisk until blended. Add to the flour mixture and mix with a rubber spatula until the dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in the blueberries. Spoon the mixture into the tray filling the cups almost to the top. Sprinkle the reserved oats on top
4 Bake for 18-22 minutes or until lightly browned and the tops spring back when touched lightly. Transfer to a wire rack to cook slightly before scoffing.

Ta daa, and here they are, courtesy of my friend JJ -



The second recipe I would like to share with you is a very simple but utterly delicious recipe for a drink, chili chocolate cocoa. This is really lovely on a winter evening, my husband and I often have it when we settle down to watch a film. It was given to me by a dear American friend now living in Scotland. I am sure she won't mind if I pass this on to you.

You will need ( for two people )

cocoa powder - 2 heaped soup spoons
butter - good sized knob ( about a heaped tea spoon )
milk - enough for two large mugs, I use the actual mugs to measure out the milk
pinch of salt
brown sugar - to taste, I use 2 teaspoons per large mug
pinch of chili powder - again, to taste, we like it quite spicy

Firstly, gently melt the butter in a milk pan. When the butter is melted, take off the heat, and add the cocoa powder slowly, constantly whisking it into the butter. Add the sugar and the little pinch of salt ( unless you are using salted butter, then you don't need it ), keep whisking. Slowly add the milk, whisking all the time, making sure that you get all the cocoa and butter mix from the bottom. Return to the stove and gently heat whilst stirring. Add chili powder to taste. Thats it, ever so simple, but it tastes so much better than prefab hot chocolate from a packet! If you feel really wicked, add a good glug of cream or top with whipped cream.

Drooling now, lol, will definitely have to make that tonight.

Right, enough of that, I need some kind of sweet fix now, lol. Let's hope I can add the trifle pics tomorrow, toodlepip for now! xxx

13 comments:

karen said...

Hi
Thanks for sharing the lovley recipe's I'm always on the lookout for new recipe's to try.
I just wanted to say that I have spent the last half hour mesmorised by your yummy crochet blankets and cushion. They are gorgious aand very inspiring ( hopefully inspiring enough to get me going with another blanket lol)

Thanks
karen

Croap Queen said...

The recipe for the muffins came from a book about cooking for low blood sugar, so they're actually good for you! They freeze really well too. You can defrost them in the microwave on low for about 1-2 mins if you can't wait for them to defrost naturally.

That hot choc recipe sounds yummy. Might have to try that (with goat's milk).

x

made with love said...

You really make me smile:)
Those muffins look yummy.
Rachael XX

harmony and rosie said...

Oh my, that all sounds and looks wonderful. Love the idea of a little chilli in the choc, will definitely be trying that out. x

Sissie's Shabby Cottage said...

Oooooooooooh girl, you make me want to bake something and I don't even cook! Wow, looks yummy.

Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving a nice comment. I'm glad you did because now I have found you and I'm going to sign up to follow your blog. I'll be back often.

hugs
Sissie

Anonymous said...

Finally today HH brought in dark chocolate. I had been hinting around for dark chocolate for the last few days. I knew he would get some for Valentine's day but I got to thinking about them and couldn't wait.
QMM

Sarah - Red Gingham said...

Oh goodness how can I even think about cooking in this heat! Really I'm struggling just with dinner. And as for baking even No.2 has given up. No you'll just have to send a hamper over here of these tasty wee bites. Jo likes travelling, get her to bring them.

Elizabethd said...

Thanks for the muffin recipe, we are heaviy into GI diet at the moment as husband's sugar levels are too high. I ahve muffin recipes from Canada, but they are quite high in sugar.
As for trifle...........I wish!

Suzy's Vintage Attic said...

Thank you for sharing those lovely recipes! The 2nd one is a recipe that I look forward to trying out most as I am a BIG fan of chili chocolate, I love that combination.
I love their chocolate http://www.southdevonchillifarm.co.uk/

I am yet to find a scanner/printer that lasts longer than a year!

Warm wishes
Isabelle x

Andi's English Attic said...

What a delicious post. I don't have a favourite pudding - I just like pudding full stop. I think your hubby really HAS to make that trifle VERY soon (and take pics BEFORE someone tucks in!)so we can all see what it looks like. xx

Country Nanny said...

Yummy, yummy, yummy! I'm on diet but I have to try your recipes all the same!!! They seem to be delicius :)))
LOL
Elisa

Natasha Burns said...

Thanks for the recipes! I hope you get that trifle made and show us!

Liz @ the Brambleberry Cottage said...

The trifle sounds like something my hubby would love. Hopefully, your hubby will make one soon that you can share with us. At least you can use that excuse on your hubby to get him to make one for you. LOL

Glad you made the second week of the party!

xo,
Liz