Cookies b4 Nooky!

Let's face it, food comes before most things and when you're spending Valentines alone, cookies are the best kind of date. 

Chocolate Chip and Cranberry Cookies!
Makes 20-30 (depending on dollop size)

What you'll need:
-150g butter
-150g light brown sugar
-1 egg
-1tsp vanilla essence
-300g plain flour
-1/2tsp baking powder
-100g dried cranberries
-100g milk choc chips

The Baking Of:
-Pre-heat oven to 200c
-In a large bowl: cream together the butter and sugar, beat in the eggs and add the vanilla
-Fold in the flour, cranberries and choc chips until they're all mixed in evenly and you've got gooey consistency. 
-Using a tsp, take small spoonfuls of the dough, roll with your hands and place onto a greased tray. Press down on them lightly and repeat. 
-Pop in the oven for approx. 12mins. Or until golden brown. 

If you're also on your own this year, don't worry about holding back - I'll never judge a fellow cake lover! 

HAPPY (slightly belated) VALENTINES TO YOU ALL! <3 

Cakes b4 Dates

Another year, another Valentines spent eating cake and working. Not a single Valentine in sight (excluding the one from my best friend). As much as I'd like to be wooed - yes, wooed, eating cake is so much easier. Plus, you know it's always going to be there; unlike the opposite sex. 

This year I did double baking; buns and cookies. Dead easy, but satisfyingly good. 

First up: Hazelnut & Chocolate buns.
Makes 12

What you'll need:
Sponge:
-4oz butter
-4oz caster sugar
-2 eggs
-4oz self raising flour
-2tsps of Starbucks hazelnut syrup (I must find out if there's a HN alternative!)
-And as much cocoa powder as you like
Icing:
-4oz icing sugar
-2-3tbsps hot water
-Even more cocoa powder

The Baking Of:
-Pre-heat the oven to 160c
-In a large bowl: cream the butter and sugar, beat in the eggs and add the flour. Stir in the syrup and powder. 
-Pour the mix into cupcake cases, whack in the oven and bake for approx. 20mins. Or until they spring back when prodded. 
-Whilst they're cooling you can get on with the icing: In a bowl, sift out the icing sugar, gradually add the water (until you have the right consistency) and then mix in the cocoa powder. 
-Once the buns are done, lather on the icing and for a finishing touch; add a Love Heart sweet. It's valentines after all!

Swimming in Pancakes!

Today was officially one of the best days in the British calendar: PANCAKE DAY! 

To those of you who don't like them, just leave for a while. But for those of you who do, come bask in the glory that is pancake. 

I'm a bit of lazy arse when it comes to my type of pancakes, I like them plain and coated it sweetie goodness. This year I made a proper attempt at making American style ones, purely because my friend doesn't like the crepe style. I'm glad I did it though. So fluffy and yummy, so good I had to eat four. In fact, my grand total for the day is seven; my other friend also made crepe style. 

Anyway, I know it's a little late in the day for a recipe seeing as Pancake Day is practically over, however you can never have enough pancakes. This is quick, simple and easy to add extra flavourings if you wish:

What you'll need

-135g plain flour

-1tsp baking powder

-1/2 tsp salt

-2tbsp caster sugar

-130ml milk

-1 egg

-2tbsp of butter, or olive oil (plus extra for cooking)

The making of

-In a bowl, mix together the: flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

-Melt the butter (cheat by popping in the microwave - don't burn it though!)

-Whilst the butters cooling: in a separate jug (i used the measuring jug), whisk your egg and milk. Then add the butter. 

-Pour the wet mix into the dry and whisk into a thick, creamy batter. Leave to sit for a few minutes.           

-Get your frying pan warmed up and well oiled (don't go over board, but use enough to get a couple of uses out of it). 

-Using a ladle, pour out one or two scoops of batter into the pan (depending on the size of the pan). It'll be thicker than the usual mix. Let them get fluffy, golden brown and then flip. Repeat until the mix is all gone!

Enjoy with many toppings! We had caramel drizzle and bananas but the world is your pancake and you can do with it what you want! 

Please excuse the poor picture, it was an after thought!

Skinny(ish) Chocolate and Hazelnut Muffins!

I want to eat my cake and be healthy too! Dieting generally sucks but if you balance your cake intake out with plenty of exercise it does't have to be all bad. So with that attitude I thought I'd try and make a healthier version of the delectable treats. 

What you'll need:
Makes 6
-1tbsp cocoa powder
-100g self-raising flour
-50g caster sugar
-1/2 tsp of bicarbonate soda
-1 egg
-100ml skimmed milk
-2tsp Starbucks Hazelnut syrup (perks of the job)
-Chopped nuts (this was a last minute choice and I only have brazil nuts, but I'd say hazelnuts are the better option)

The Baking Of:
-Pre-heat your oven to 170c
-In a large bowl mix together your dry ingredients (flour, b.soda, cocoa & sugar)
-In a separate jug beat together the wet ingredients (milk, syrup, egg & oil). Then mix the two together to make a creamy batter.
-It's a wet batter, so you may want to put the mix back into the jug and pour it out into muffin cases. 
-Before you pop them in the oven, sprinkle over the chopped nuts. Whack 'em in and bake for approx. 15-20mins. 

I know they're skinnier than normal cakes, but that doesn't mean you have to eat them all at once! 

Enjoy!