Amazing Hot Berry Toasties

♬ 'Radio One's Live Lounge 3' by Various Artists

I actually prefer the tracks on this album than the originals. The quirky Ting Tings do an excellent cover of The Gossips 'standing in the way of control'. 

Listen love and eat!

Now this isn't exactly rocket food science on my part so I have to apologise. Lately my confidence has been bashed about when it comes to my cooking skills or to some people - lack of them. Well everyone is entitled to their own opinion and quite frankly I couldn't give two pineapples about what anyone says. A few years from now this blog will still be here and I will still be experimenting, messing up, conquering and becoming a better cook! 

Back to the juicy berry toastie above, I literally lied in bed for a good hlf an hour pondering what else I could eat for breakfast instead of Bran Flakes. Then I remembered the sandwich toaster my older brother handed to me and made the above. Normally bread works really well in these machines and anyone who is or has experienced cooking at university knows that this device is essential for delicious and cheesy sandwiches! One of my all time fillings has to be ham and cheese, hands down the best. At first using tortilla wraps was a bit daunting as I didn't want a crunchy crisp texture, all in all the wrap did well and encased berries and melted chocolate beautifully. Anyone steering away from bread should try this too. I also took this chance to make a video, since it has been quite a while since my face has blessed the screen.

Right, so a small handful of blackberries, bluberries and raspberries in the middle of the wrap then grate chocolate. Alternatively adding nuts, bananas or whatever you like is cool too. I just wanted to bring the sandwich toaster to the forefront and on kitchen table because it doesn't mean you have to open a deli, you can simply make quick healthy or naughty snacks. 

Enjoy and let me know what other fillings you have tried that beat:

 Ham and cheese

Baked beans

Bacon and cheese

Spinach and ricotta

Jam

Chocolate and banana

Brie and cranberry

Tuna and cheese

xxx

Mint Chocolate Mousse Cones

♬ 'Hits Of The 70's' by Various Artists

The word 'oven' now makes me sweat, actually my hands feel a bit buttery after typing the word. The weather in London has taken a sunny turn and the streets of Hackney are booming with denim cut off shorts and male bare chests. God I love the sunshine! This morning I scampered to the supermarket to buy a few boxes of wafer cup cones, they were selling rapidly and I had to stock up. I decided to try my hand again at mousse but this time with the basic two ingredients - eggs and chocolate. Ages ago I made chocolate mousse, now since the weather is urging me to eat ice cream as a snack it was time to revisit the bad boy recipe. What I did was use less of each ingredient because sweet lady of Liberty cannot see me looking like an Oompa Loompa. Once I filled each cone with the gooey gorgeous mixture of naughtiness, I decided to be a true 80's chick and strap on an old school boom box on my bike and run errands that lasted three hours!

A rare sighting of no food in this photo! My lovely brother bought this treasure from a car booty and it had an amazing cassette already in. While cycling back home through London Fields 'Hot Stuff' by Donna Summer came on and as well as cringing and looking like a sweaty beetroot, I cycled that bit harder to make sure no more raised eyebrows darted my way. The strap was pressed on the play button, and whenever I turned the volume down I would end up cycling into a tree. Well anyway this old school method is a lot safer than wearing headphones!

Right this mousse was not the same texture as the last one I made. So it's still work in progress, therefore no recipe on this post. The cones got a bit soft after three hours due to the  moisture in the fridge. Obviously they look lovely and still taste great but not something I would present to guests as a mousse.

Hmmm does anyone have any suggestions about the perfect chocolate mousse?

Donna Hay suggests cream and butter.

Annie Bell goes with the basic eggs and chocolate.

Green and Blacks opt for cream.

Time to experiment a bit more.

Favourite songs on the boom box:

ê 'Hot Stuff' by Donna Summer

'Lady Marmalade' by La Belle

26 Golden Cupcakes

♬ 'Music' by Madonna

Who else was I going to have on while decorating these beautiful cupcakes!

The order was for a 50th wedding anniversary, and of course being that it is a golden one I had to go all out and get glitter crazy. Fourteen chocolate orange and  twelve vanilla are on display, four of each were decorated slightly differently. Remember when I made 300 cakes last year? Now looking at these cakes, I think less than that is achievable and each of these cupcakes had a lot of attention, they look great and I am well proud. 

Creating the rose effect requires a good piping nozzle, steady hand and simply turn the cupcake in glitter. For the edges of the rose (in first photo, top four) dab your finger in glitter and press gently around the sides. Simple yet effective.

WOWZA

Have a great weekend.

xx

Favourite Song:

ê 'Don't Tell Me'

Banoffee Split Cupcakes

♬ 'Bedtime Stories' by Madonna

This cake is better than sex.

Quite a statement and I'm sure I will have to face the music when visiting Wolverhampton, there will be disapproving looks and a comment like 'so I read your recent post Mitha, hmmmm interesting', I take it you're not seeing anyone yet?'.

 Before the floods of emails come in - I have not succumbed to 'Fifty Shades Of Grey', trust me the only shades of grey I get to see are out my window every day. In fact this bold post and sexy cupcake has been fuelled by quite a few events over the week. 

Don't we all deserve a lavish cupcake with a lot of cream, sprinkles, toffee crisp and banana chips (got to have something healthy-ish). Ladies in particular don't you just want to eat cake without feeling heavy after? This is what figured...

Men are like cakes.

They look good, smell good,

and after a few slices you realise you've just taken on some extra weight.

That's right I'm sensing about 100,000 cyber high fives right about now, my hand is up there waiting for yours! If not I've lost the 200 followers on twitter I worked a flipping year for. I thought of the above phrase when sitting in London Fields park one afternoon and noticed a couple eat cake. Apart from wanting to vomit, the very pretty lady fed her partner, then randomly flipped, stormed off and left him sitting there with butter cream smothered on his face. I wonder what he said to piss her off?! Maybe it was 'babe is this salted or unsalted butter?'. Anyway as you can tell I'm slightly anti men at the moment, actually most of the time I am. It was time I expressed myself a little more, not being scared or worried what others might think after typing sex and cake together.

It's all Madonna's fault for being so cool and expressive, which has ultimately led to this post. Her performance in Hyde Park was theatrically stunning, she has an incredible body and a multicoloured  aura that I sensed from miles away. Make these bad boys and taste how this sponge is light, soft, moist and very tasty.

▶ Get creative and start playing..

Ingredients:

For 12 cakes in large cases.

125g unsalted butter

125g golden caster sugar

1tsp cinnamon

2 medium eggs

1 large ripe banana

125g self raising flour

1tsp baking powder

3 tbsp milk

Fresh double cream

Sprinkles

Wafers

Banana chips

Chopped Toffee Crisp bar

Toffee sauce

Chocolate sauce

Method:

: Preheat oven to 180°c.
: Whisk the butter on its own until soft, add sugar and continue to whisk for 5 minutes.
: Tip in the eggs one at a time and make sure everything looks smooth.

I understand time is not on everyone's side BUT being patient with cake mixture has its benefits, a well mixed batter will create more air pockets and churn out a lovely sponge.

: Add flour, baking powder, banana, and cinnamon.
: Pour enough milk so the mixture is drops off a spoon slowly.
: Scoop in cases and bake for 18 minutes. The tops should be slightly golden and a bit soft to touch. Remember the function of the banana assists the eggs as extra moisture and increases natural sweetness. Leave to cool in tin for a few minutes.
: Pop out on a cooling rack.
: Once ready to serve and completely cold, whisk double cream and fill piping bag. Next get creative and cut small tops off the cakes. Drizzle toffee sauce in this space, pipe cream on top (anyone on a diet stop reading!) top with decorations and extra chocolate sauce.
: Sorted and done!
For a healthier option, spoon thick Greek yoghurt instead of cream.

Favourite Song:

ê 'Human Nature'
'Express Yourself'

Herby Kiev

♬ Still got The Monkees on, they are making the pitter-patter of rain bearable...

Gosh I flipping love chicken. What do you think of the above picture? Yay or nay? The problem I had with trying to establish a good angle and shot at the kiev was that the butter was beautifully oozing out. Very delicious to smell but unfortunately the holes started to look empty as my filling consisted of chili, lime and garlic butter. I think if I used fresh coriander there would be more bulk to the filling. Definitely a mistake I won't make next time. Anyway I still wanted to show you my first attempt and the variety of gorgeous flavours I used. Making a video was not an option due to my mismatch laid back Sunday outfit.

The chicken kiev, where did it come from? Why is it still here and how on earth do you recreate this at home? With so many questions that I still don't know the answers too I can only tell you preparing the dish was easy! Wiki sources tell us the dish was originally from Ukraine or Moscow, also that it was Marks and Spencer's first ready meal! Crazy to think this bashed, stuffed breast has made a place on our plates. 

 ▶ Right here is how I made the tangy and spicy version:

To feed 2:

2 large organic chicken breasts

3 slices wholemeal bread

2 fresh mint leaves

Fresh coriander

60g unsalted butter at room temperature

1 lime

1 fat garlic clove crushed and chopped.

2 dried chillies, de-seeded and finely chopped.

Plain flour

1 egg

Olive oil

Rice/salad/mash/wedges to serve.

Method:

: First make the filling by mashing the butter, garlic, chilli and zest from the whole lime. Put in a piping bag and refrigerate.

: Make the breadcrumbs by blitzing the bread, mint leaves and a small handful of fresh coriander in a blender. In a shallow plate whisk the egg, in another plate pour the breadcrumbs.

: Next you have a few options, you could butterfly the chicken, cover it in cling film and bash it with a rolling pin. OR be like me and opt for a cheeky shortcut and make a slanted incision through the breast, then with your finger check there is a lot of space.

: Preheat oven to 200°c.

: Pipe the butter in the chicken.

: Seal the edges then cover in flour, dip in egg and roll it in breadcrumbs.

: Fry for 3 minutes on each side and bake for 15 minutes.

Place on kitchen roll and that's it! Obviously if you're not going to display the kiev like above then continue with this recipe. Otherwise I would chop more fresh coriander and incorporate this into the butter.

DONE!

Not ashamed of blogging about mistakes or mishaps, we all make them and ultimately choose to learn from them.

Have a great start to the week.xx

German Chocolate Cupcakes

♬ 'The Best Of The Monkees' by The Monkeys

Alongside many other Britain's this week my energy levels are depleting, talk about a rubbish British summer! Creativity has been lopsided and I don't believe the start of this post sounds like 'dear diary'. I have to shake off this excess grey feeling and get back to excitable and dramatic Mita.

Now looking at the above picture who wouldn't get excited? EXACTLY! A champion batch of cupcakes made especially for Islington boxing club. Suggested by George Foreman these German chocolate cupcakes have a decadent dark chocolate sponge with coconut and pecan chocolate butter cream, and a random Munchie on top. Based on the popular American 'Germans Chocolate Cake'.

Enough typed, enough eaten, roll on the recipe...

Ingredients:

For 12 cakes in muffin cases

125g unsalted butter

100g dark chocolate

125g golden caster sugar

1tsp dessicated coconut 

2 large eggs

125g self raising flour

1tsp baking powder

3 tbsp coconut milk

Topping:

125g unsalted butter

50g dark cocoa powder

200g sifted icing sugar

20g crushed pecans

Dessicated coconut

Pecans to decorate

Pack of munchies

1 tbsp milk

 ▶Method:

: Preheat oven to 180°c.

: Melt the chocolate and butter in a large bowl over a pan of simmering boiling water.

: Meanwhile put all the dry ingredients in a bowl and stir, add a pinch of salt.

: Pour in the melted chocolate and butter, whisk well then add the eggs and milk.

: Scoop a generous amount in each case.

: Bake for 20 minutes and leave in the tray for a few minutes then place on a cooling rack.

: Make the butter cream by whisking the butter until soft, add the milk, then cocoa powder and icing sugar in batches, tip in the crushed pecans.

Once cakes are cool to touch at the base, pipe or spread on the butter cream and place face down on a plate of dessicated coconut. Top with a cheeky Munchie.

DONE!

Favourite Song:

ê '(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone'

It's a back to back blogging extravaganza! The Monkees are springing me back into action.

Chocolatey Baked Cherry Cheesecake

 

♬ 'Version' by Mark Ronson

CHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESE CAKE.

Quite an indulgent Sunday consisting of cream cheese, sour cream, perving on tennis players, and another recipe with fresh cherries. I have one more pack and will stir them through whatever I can this week, and won't bore you with blogging any more about the plump dark red bad boys.

While watching the tennis final between Federer and Murray I was running back and forth to the kitchen trying to assemble this cheesecake. Honestly apart from feeling like an actual ball girl, I was tempted to configure a warning sign that read 'CAN CAUSE ADDICTION'. I happily scoffed two slices, then had to store the rest! Why baked cheesecake? I thought it was time to line my stomach for what's to come in late August....

NEW YORK!

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

Super excited about venturing out to the big apple and exploring food and more food. I have to taste everything out there, then occasionally run through Central Park to feel lighter.

Right I need your help, where's best to wine and dine? Travel guides look nice, and they tend to be left at home once on holiday so if you have any cool suggestions that would be great.

In other news....

Give this cheesecake a go, I promise you will want to pass this on. I figured baking a cheesecake would have similar properties to a cake, therefore eggs and extra flour were used for binding. The chilled method is usually what I opt for if I have a few mates round, but the wobbly centre and smell of a baked cheesecake is something quite special. The base would normally be digestive or ginger nut, however it was time for the oaty Hobnob to take a stand. After googling like a madwoman I grabbed a few bits of knowledge about baked cheesecake, and formatted the recipes I read into this...

Ingredients:

8 Hobnobs, in a plastic bag and smashed with whatever is close. I used the bottom of a coffee jar. 

50g unsalted butter, melted.

300g light Philadelphia cream cheese

100g plain flour

 2 tbsp icing sugar

2 large eggs

140ml sour cream (adds a tang and used in a New York cheesecake)

10 smashed and pitted fresh cherries, a few left whole to decorate.

50g chopped pecan nuts

Dark chocolate sauce

Cocoa powder for dusting

35g dark chocolate chopped (I had Green & Blacks mini bar)

Method:

Dig out an 18cm spring form cake tin.

: Preheat oven to 180°c.

: Mix the melted butter with the crushed biscuits, then stir in the chopped chocolate.

: Press down in the tin and bake for 5 minutes. Take out and leave to one side and sprinkle on the pecans.

: Combine the cream cheese, icing sugar, flour and sour cream until very smooth. Then add the eggs one at a time.

: Stir in the smashed cherries.

: Pour on top of the base and bake for 40 minutes. The sides should be puffy and the centre quite wobbly.

: Let it cool for about half an hour, then release from tin.

: Drizzle chocolate sauce in the centre, place cherries and dust over with cocoa powder. 

DONE!

Now if your wondering has Mita forgotten the sugar? No sugar needed, the cherries and chocolate were sweet enough to make the cheesecake taste so damn divine.

Favourite Song:

ê 'Apply Some Pressure' Featuring Paul Smith

Italiano Egg

                                     

♬ 'Black Light' by Diagrams

How embarrassing, there I was tweeting away about Jamie Oliver carrying the torch and it wasn't him after all, he was further up the road! It was still an inspirational David Pickup who ran well considering the downpour. I started to feel like I got stood up, similar to a feeling many years ago at the cinema, yes that's right he who must not be named left me standing like a hard rocky candy in Cineworld. Gutted. To top that I messed up four poached eggs- FOUR! Not sure what was going on, now if in doubt with poaching I'm totally baking instead.

Moving onwards and upwards to yet another baked egg phenomenon, yes I basically cracked an egg in a mushroom with two of my favourite Italian herbs, basil and oregano. Totally worth blogging and ranting about, because it tastes so damn good. Please watch, listen, laugh a bit and give this a go. Obviously mushrooms don't float everyone's boat so try a red pepper or another vegetable that will maintain its shape once baked.

The earliest memory I have of eggs was after school when I would watch my grandma put them in meat curry, she would keep the shell ON, let them boil and when it came to eating we had to peel them. A messy business but there was something quite special about peeling the egg amongst the meaty soup. These days I find the cracking of eggs occur on a Thursday when I'm near the end of my tether and itching for the weekend to kick in. A cheap, healthy and wholesome ingredient which blesses most of my breakfasts.

Get baking for breakfast!

Have a great weekend.

xxx

Next week, I'm hitting the sweet spot and getting a tad scientific by attempting to make SWEETS.

Cherry Almond Icicle Delights

                                    

♬ 'Greatest Hits II' by Queen

God bless the reduced shelf at every supermarket, my obsessive tendency to dive in the bargain bin at Topshop are now over - it's all about reduced cherries in Tesco! I was tempted to make a colossal cherry cake, in fact baking had to be paused after being covered in flour most of the week. 

Now what to do with a whole lot of cherries...

Smoothie?

Freeze?

Crush?

Blend?

Dip in chocolate and eat while watching Bridget Jones?

I wanted to keep them raw and still at their super food best, so as you can see from the video I made these cute delightful cubes. Cherry and almond is up there alongside the union jack, a peacock, and of course fish and chips as one of my most loved random things.

These are like mini cherry bakewells - but a healthier version.

300g fresh cherries

1 tsp almond essence

Few extra cherries

That's it!

A perfect icicle to pop into whatever drink you want to add cherry love to. Be warned the drink will change colour, so I would advise milk.

HOLD ON! NEWS JUST IN!

I HAVE JUST BEEN TOLD JAMIE OLIVER WILL BE CARRYING THE TORCH NEAR MY BROTHERS HOUSE.

Holy macaroni, the excitement is beyond words...what shall I WEAR?

Right I better be off and get all striped up.

xxxx

Breakfast Banana Split

                                        

♬ 'XX' by The XX

Well here I am on another Iphone app rampage! Where are they coming from? One app just pushes the other out the door, I love it, they serve me well and combining food photography, my voice and music is working out a treat. Meanwhile sharing the videos and increasing my profile is proving quite difficult. Considering my followers on twitter are dwindling at a measly 180-190, I have started to give up on who wants to 'follow' me. Instead I turn my nose to the word and prefer 'fans', because I have a lot of those! Oh well the only thing to do is to carry on as I am. This morning the above banana bonanza happened! Once again I'm not the first ever food blogger to pull this recipe out the hat, however how good does it look? Exactly - scrummy.

No rocket science involved, just bananas, yoghurt and whatever fruit you have to hand.

 ▶ Tips on the perfect breakfast banana split:

1. Ripe bananas

2. Thick luscious Greek yoghurt, preferably with honey. Keep in the fridge until you have to scoop it on.

3. Chopped walnuts, Brazil nuts, raisins, or any other dried fruit and nut would accompany this well.

4. Dark chocolate ONLY. Or if there is a healthy chocolate spread use that instead.

5. Get the kids involved and make breakfast fun. Funny faces, boats, banana split sandwiches - let them get creative.

I have invested in another massive reduced batch of fresh cherries and will be experimenting tonight what to do with the super plump balls of gorgeousness. Any suggestions? Keep an eye on this space to see what I conjure up.xx