Oatmeal & Raisin Cookies

This week I have almost been borderline obsessed with oats. On Saturday I made Flapjack's and last night I had a midnight urge to whip up some cookie dough. I love this recipe because it's so easy and rustic. A biscuit tin must have.

Ingredients

  115 Grams of Butter, Softened
125 Grams Light Brown Sugar
1 Large Free Range Egg
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
95 Grams Plain Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
Pinch of Salt
120 Grams Rolled Oats
100 Grams Raisins

Cream together the softened butter & the brown sugar until smooth then gently add the egg & vanilla extract. In another bowl mix together the sieved flour, cinnamon, baking soda & salt. Slowly fold in the dry mixture then throw in the oats and raisin and combine until you have a sticky mixture. 


Place the whole mixture into some cling film and refrigerate for and hour or so, or scoop the mixture directly to a buttered baking tray and chill.


Place in the oven at 195C for 8 ~ 10 minutes until golden brown but still doughy looking in the middle. Allow to stand for a few minutes and then place on a wire rack to fully cool.

Hope you enjoyed this weeks ingredient, if you have any suggestions for next week, drop me a line.


Enjoy your Wednesday :)


Laurie Rose xo

Saturday Bakes

I was working last night and had nothing sweet in the house to take into work with me, by 4am I'm either nodding off or my blood sugar seems to drop and I need a sugar fix to keep me going until 7am.

So today I rummage through my cupboards and found the perfect combination of ingredients, Lyle's Golden Syrup, Soya Butter & Rolled Oats. I was making Flapjacks. I rememeber when I was about ten, I went through a faze of making them almost everyday, they're easy, quick and super yummmy!

Add the Syrup and butter to a pan and heat until melted. In a large mixing bowl throw in the oats and a pinch of salt. Pour the hot mixture over the oat and combine until completely covered. 

Butter up a dish and spread evenly, place in the oven for about 25 minutes until golden brown.

Then it is imperative you enjoy you warm Jacks with a pot of Earl Grey.

How do you enjoy your Saturday afternoons?

Off to work now!

Laurie Rose xx

Sweet Treat

Vegan Lemon Curd on Lemon & Poppyseed Muffins.

As a child my mum & I would often share a sweet treat of Lemon Curd sandwiches, on the freshest white bread my mum would heap a dollop of lemon curd, sandwich together and trim off the crusts. Even now I will often indulge in this childish treat. 

After finding this recipe I just had to try it out, I love baking & poppy seeds so this combination is just perfect.

Vegan Lemon Curd.

1/2 cup soy milk, plain
1/4 cup water
1 Tbsp corn starch
6 Tbsp sugar
6 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
5 Tbsp vegan buttery spread
pinch of salt
optional: 1/8 tsp lemon extract

In a medium size pan dissolve the corn starch in the cold soy milk & water, place the pan onto a medium heat stir the mixture , to the pan add the vegan spread, lemon juice & sugar. Continue stirring the mixture until in begins to bubble and starts the thicken. 

Reduce the heat and with a hand whisk whip up the mixture for about 90 seconds.

Transfer the mixture into a pretty jar and refrigerator until chilled.

Lemon Ginger Poppyseed Muffins
vegan, makes 12 muffins

1 1/2 cups white flour
3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup poppy seeds
1/3 cup vegan buttery spread OR vegetable oil + 1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
2 tsp ginger powder
1/2 cup plain soy milk
1/2 cup apple sauce
2/3 cup sugar + some for sprinkling on top
1/4-1/2 tsp lemon extract (optional)

Into a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients, fold well by hand.

Pour batter evenly into lined or greased muffin tins.

Place into a pre heated oven on 180 for 20 minutes.

Cool & then sit back with a cuppa and enjoy!

Tea Time.

Earl Grey & Poppy Seed Muffins with Marmalade Glaze

4 Fairtrade Earl Grey Tea bags (or about 4 tsp loose tea leaves)
250ml (1 cup) milk
375g (2 1/2 cups) self-raising flour
155g (3/4 cup) caster sugar

1 tbsp poppy seeds
125g butter, melted
2 eggs, lightly whisked (homegrown)
To glaze or serve: Marmalade (homemade)

NOTE: Source Fairtrade, Organic or locally sourced produce where possible!!

Anyone who knows me will tell you how much I adore Earl Grey I am super obsessed, I usually like to enjoy my brew with a few homemade Ginger Snap biscuits, but I haven't made any for such a long time as my man friend can't abide ginger in any shape or form. I love baking and have been slightly neglecting it of late so when I saw this I was tingling with excitement and I just had to give it a go.

Firstly preheat your oven to 180C (350F) Then line your baking tray with squares on baking paper, I like to do it this way but you can always use cake cases they work just aswell. Lightly simmer the milk in a pan until almost boiling then add the tea bags and place to one side to allow those wonderful flavours infuse into the milk. In a large mixing bowl add all the dry ingredients, sifted flour, poppy seeds & caster sugar and mix them all up. Then combine in the milk mixture (minus the tea bags ;) butter and eggs and whips them all together until the mixture is smooth and scrummy. Spoon the mixture into the pre lined cake cases and bake for 25 minutes.

Try your very best not to over cook because they will be awfully dry.

 Remove from the oven and the baking try and allow to cool on a wire rack!

Beautiful Muffins

For the marmalade glaze add the jam to a small saucepan over a medium heat and warm gently until runny, then when the muffins are still warm glaze the tops....yumm!

You must enjoy these with a pot of tea and a natter with friends, it's a must.

Laurie Rose xx

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Homemade Peppermint Creams.

After the festive season it is inevitable you have mounds of chocolate left overs, and what ever you have planned for the New Year, most of us are usually planning to diet ready to look semi acceptable in our summer bikini's, looking like a beached whale is something all of us try to avoid as much as possible during the summer months - but this is the time of the year for comfort food and baggy jumpers. So as we nearing the New Year why not try and make these delightful Peppermint Bites. And girls don't blame me if those skinny jeans are a little tight, there is plenty of time until you have to unleash those figures to the world.

Ingredients

1 can sweetened condensed milk

5 1/2 cups icing sugar, sifted

1 tablespoon peppermint oil

3 cups any chocolate left overs, dark, milk which ever you prefer

Instructions

Add condensed milk, two cups of icing sugar, and peppermint oil to a large mixing bowl. Combine all the ingrediants together until mixed in well - you can use a mixer for this but i prefer to do it by hand, Add more icing, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough is stiff but still malleable.

Roll 3/4″ balls of dough between the palms of the hands.

Press each ball down slowly and set the flattened disk on a flat cutting board or plate. Transfer peppermint disks to the freezer for no longer than 30 minutes. While the dough is chilling, it's time to prepare the chocolate coating.

Over a pan of simmering water melt the chocolate in a bowl this is known as a bain-marie.

Place a cream on the prongs of the fork and dip in the chocolate until completely covered. Allow excess chocolate to drip off the cream before setting each one on top of parchment paper.

Allow the chocolate coated peppermint creams to completely set. This can be done quicker by placing them in the fridge. The peppermint creams are ready when they are dry to the touch.
Enjoy!
Laurie Rose x