Quick & Easy Chocolate Cup-Cake

Quick & Easy Chocolate Cup-Cake.

A story of a need for chocolatey goodness.

On this freezing cold Sunday evening, I decided I was in need of a tasty chocolatey treat. This Quick & Easy Treat takes all of 5 whole minutes to make. Henry & I decided we would have a quiet relaxing night watching movies, I have awful tummy pains today and I definitely knew I needed CHOCOLATE! I remembered this amazing recipe I found a few years ago and I thought I would surprise him with it, since he has waited on me hand and foot today, he made me lunch and copious amounts of tea to warm me up and ease my headaches and tummy pains.

And here it is...

It is so simple, so why not try it?

Ingredients.

4 tbsp Plain Flour

4 tbsp Sugar

2 tbsp Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

1 Egg (beaten)

Pinch of Salt & Pinch of Baking Powder

3 tbsp Milk

3 tbsp Oil

2-3 Drops of Vanilla Extract (optional)

Place all ingredients into your favourite mug (well I used my second favourite as I accompanied mine with a cuppa, in one of my favourite Christmas presents)

Full power for 2 1/2 Minutes, and that's it!

Hope you enjoy,

Let me see how yours turn out I would love to see :)

Laurie Rose x

Don't forget to send any mail to laurierosebelle@hotmail.co.uk

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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

No Bake Chocolate Cake

If like me you enjoy the idea of entertaining but come to the day of the gathering you are so far behind on ideas. A planned itinerary which you devised the night before with such conviction, is now already gone to pot as you wake up at least two hours late, find yourself having a dreadful hair day and nothing seems to be going to plan.

You think you'll stick to a recipe you know like the back of your hand - but for desert, your plans of soufflés and beautifully crafted chocolates as goodies have become a distant memory as you realise the kids are writing on the walls and your Dauphionses' are burning.

Well this recipe is perfect, quick and so scrummy, and I can guarantee your guests will LOVE IT! Chocolate lovers, boozy bums and coffee connoisseurs will love all variation of this recipes.

Preparation time: 10 Minutes.

 

Ingredients:

225g 70% Dark Chocolate, Well chopped

225g Heavy Cream

Pinch of Salt

Cocoa Powder to serve

Optional:

25 ml Amaretto

Orange Zest/Juices

2 tsp Finely Ground Espresso

50g Mixed Chopped Nuts (Shelled crushed Pistachio's for Yuletide Gatherings)

Lightly butter a 6 inch loaf tin (any tin/pan will do, I just like the shape)

Line with parchment paper and set to one side.

Barely melt the chocolate in a bowl over a simmering pan of water, in a separate medium pan heat the cream over a gentle heat, at this point add any optional ingredients, when the cream is warm/ hot to the touch but NOT boiling, remove from heat and stir in the salt.

Slowly pour the chocolate into the cream, steadily stir until all the mixture comes together. They must be well combined and not at all separate. Pour the mixture into the ready prepared tin, cover with cling wrap and refrigerate until chilled throughout for a few hours or ideally overnight.

When ready to serve, carefully remove from the tin, let set to room temperature for around ten minutes, dust with cocoa powder, slice and serve with whipped cream.

Serves 12.
Laurie Rose x