Ferrero Rocher Cake

♬ 'El Camino' By The Black Keys

This album is so much fun! It's a great mix of glam rock and soul. I gave this album to my  brother along with the golden beauty you are gawping at.

What a magical and luxurious cake!

Here we have two chocolate hazelnut sponges sandwiched with chocolate buttercream, topped with melted chocolate, crushed Ferraro Rochers and masqueraded with gold lustre spray.

If you want to impress this is the cake to go for, and actually all the left over Ferraro Rochers from Christmas can finally be used up (saves me eating a few every other night).

One big tip:

Invest in a can of gold lustre spray or even gold glitter to decorate this cake.

After all, the unwrapping of a Ferrero Rocher is like opening up a special treat, so why not 'wrap' this?!

I'm very proud of my frantic effort, and rapid cycling to try and track the spray! This looks like it should be in the middle of a table, enclosed in glass for everyone to admire. Got a feeling the cake would be perfect in a Harry Potter movie, shame they are over!

Made for my brother's birthday, he is a golden star and also a big fan of cakes and puddings. 

An easy cake to put together and bake, trust me this is not as difficult as it appears!

▶

Recipe for 10 slices:

Ingredients:

For the two sponges:

200g soft butter (7.05oz)

150g caster sugar(5.29oz)

4 medium eggs

200g plain flour (7.05oz)

1tsp baking powder

100g finely chopped hazelnuts (put in the blender for quick blitz) (3.52 oz)

100g cocoa powder (3.52oz)

Filling:

200g soft butter (7.05oz)

150g icing sugar (5.29oz)

50g cocoa powder (1.76oz)

Covering:

100g milk chocolate (3.52oz)

6 Ferrero Rochers

Gold lustre spray

Method:

: Preheat oven 180°c

: Grease two 20cm sandwich baking tins.

: Beat butter and sugar until pale.

: Add two eggs then beat again.

: Add the other two until mixture is smooth.

: Sieve in the flour and baking powder.

: Sieve in the cocoa powder.

: Whisk until combined.

: Add the chopped hazelnuts and stir.

: Divide mixture between two cases and smooth down.

: Bake for 25 minutes, until well risen.

: Turn out on rack and leave to completely cool.

: Make the buttercream by combining all the ingredients in a mixer.

: Spread on the base of one of the sponges.

: Put the other on top and press down slightly.

: Melt the chocolate for the covering in a bowl over boiling water.

: Spread over the top of the cake and if you want, let it drizzle down, as you are aware I love this look but can be aware it looks too messy for some. So if you prefer keep the chocolate at the top.

: Then top with chopped Ferraro Rochers, and in no particular order place on the cake. Let the chocolate set: then from a small distance spray the gold.

Done! 

 The average chocolate cake has been transformed into something spectacular.

Favourite Song:

ê 'Little Black Submarines' By The Black Keys

Blackberry and Blueberry Crumble Pie

♬ 'Trailer Trash Tracy's' By Ester

Totally misinterpreted this album, I was ready for head banging trance, however do not judge this album by its cover, get ready for deep harmonics and a heavy bass!

As global warming feeds us a spring day, I have been sharpening up my pastry techniques. What you are looking at should excite your senses plus make you slightly salivate...or maybe that's just me.

▶ Recipe for a 20cm tart tin with removable sides, serves 8.

 Ingredients:

Sweet Shortcrust Pastry:

250g organic plain flour

50g icing sugar

125g cold butter, cut into small cubes

1 large egg, beaten.

Splash of milk

Filling:

150g blueberries

100g blackberries
50g butter

2 tbsp granulated sugar

2 tbsp water

2 tsp plain flour or corn flour, also known as cornstarch.


Topping:
50g plain flour
50g jumbo rolled oats
50g soft butter
50g caster sugar

Method:

: Start on the pastry - on a clean surface sieve the flour and icing sugar.

: Rub the butter with the flour and sugar until it looks like fine breadcrumbs.

: Make a hole in this mixture and add the beaten egg.

: Gently start working this together until a dough is formed, try adding a bit of milk to help the binding. This is a short crust so try not to over work the dough, when it is a smooth dough it is done.

: Cling film and leave in the fridge for 30 minutes.


Preheat the oven 180°c

: In a pot add all the ingredients for the filling, and let this simmer until it's nice and thick.
: Now time for the blind baking -  take out chilled pastry and roll out on a lightly floured surface, until the thickness is the same is about half a cm. 
: Spread on top of the tin and press down firmly and gently.
: Cut the rest of the pastry away, cover with baking paper and fill with pastry weights (I used baking bean, but lentils work too)
: Bake for 15 minutes only, then take out and prick with fork.
: Put in the oven again for 5 minutes, then take out again.

: Pour berry filling in and try not to fill to the top.
: Make the topping by rubbing in the butter with the sugar, flour and oats.
: Sprinkle on top of berry filling and then add a bit more sugar.
: Bake for 20 minutes until the berries are bubbling and the crumble is light brown.


Serve hot or cold, with custard or cream.


DONE!


Making pastry doesn't have to be time consuming, your arms get a work out and it takes practice - try making double the batch so you can refrigerate the other half to use for something else?

Favourite Song:

ê 'Candy Girl' By Trailer Trash Tracys

Chicken and Mango Salad

♬ 'Metals' By Feist

A sharp and tasteful album which takes some getting used to as Leslie Feist brings something new and sharp, whereas her last album 'The Reminder' had a few more upbeat tunes, anyway her new album has already got me hooked.

Never thought I'd type this but really glad I'm back at work and it's a Monday! Last weekend I spent a lot of money on crap but glad I invested in new cds, hoping to give my housemates a break from Mark Ronson and Prince!

That's enough of the music part, now the food..

For those steering well away from certain carbohydrates for the next few months, try this super tasty salad for lunch or a light dinner.

I'm staring at the photo with admiration, it looks amazing. The excitement food gives me is similar to an adrenalin rush!

▶ Recipe for 1

Ingredients:

1 chicken breast fillet, chopped (100g).

1 mango

Vegetable oil

1 tsp clove powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

4 fennel seeds

2 cardamon pods

1 tsp chilli powder

Watercress, rocket and spinach salad bag.

2 mint leaves

Salt

Pepper

Dressing:

200ml fresh orange juice

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp dijon style mustard

2 tsps honey

Method:

: First fry the cardamon, fennel in a bit of vegetable oil.

: Once this smells fragrant add the chicken and the powders.

: Leave on a low heat, finely chop the mint and sprinkle on top.

: Meanwhile slice the mango and cut out small chunks, it's really up to you how much you want in the salad. I am a massive mango fan so all of it got involved!

: Lay a few of the salad leaves out on a plate, then disperse the mango.

: Make the dressing by adding all the ingredients in a tall plastic cup and shake, or use a jug and whisk.

: Once chicken is done (white on the inside, and tears away easily) distribute this over the mango and leaves.

: Pour the dressing over the salad, you might not need all of this so start off slowly!

: Season and dust the plate with cracked black pepper.

DONE!

The chicken combined with the mango will create a spicy and juicy texture, that is incredibly refreshing. 

Favourite Song:

ê 'The Circle Married The Line' By Feist

Full English Pancake

♬'Greatest Hits' By Foo Fighters

A fry up with Dave Grohl singing in the background, oh yes what a great start to the weekend! Before I face the stress of public transport I needed a full English that is cooking in one pan, and something that can slot on the plate. 

This delivered.

▶Recipe to serve 2 or 1 to cure a hangover!

Ingredients:

Pancake batter:

100g wheat free and gluten free plain flour (or normal plain)

1 large egg

200ml milk

pinch of caster sugar

2 pork and apple sausages (or vegetarian)

1 large egg

Spinach

Cherry tomatoes (or 2 large tomatoes cut in half)

Mushrooms (slice thickly or if you have button mushrooms leave whole)

Olive oil

Method:

: In a large non stick frying pan drizzle a bit of olive oil and cook the sausages.

: After 15 minutes cut the sausages open and add the mushrooms.

: Make sure there is enough space for an extra egg, spinach and tomatoes, now is the best time to move things around.

: Crack 1 egg opposite the mushrooms.

: Place the tomatoes next to the egg, leave on a low heat.

: Whisk all the pancake batter ingredients.

: Pour this around the sausages until the batter has surrounded everything in the pan.

: Place as much spinach as you want in one corner, you could add this before you pour the batter if you want.

: When bubbles start forming on top, shake the pan to loosen the pancake.

: The sausages should be done and have no pink showing on the inside.

DONE! 

Love it with a glass of orange juice.

Let me know if you added another favourite breakfast ingredient into the mix!  

Have a great weekend.x

Favourite Song:

ê'Times Like These' By Foo Fighters

Spotty Blueberry Cake with Blackcurrant Jam

What's on:

♬ 'The Best Of Run DMC' By RUN-DMC

Before I head out this cake has to be posted, simply because it is so deliciously soft and sweet.

What made me bake?

A CELEBRATION...

My bikram yoga practice came to a sweaty end today, no more bending and suffering for an hour and a half - now my attention has turned to boxing.

Back to the beautiful blueberry wheat free, gorgeous, scrumptious cake you are drooling at. 

▶ Recipe for 10 slices

Ingredients:

200g wheat free and gluten free self raising flour

150g caster sugar

150g soft butter

4 medium eggs

100g blueberries

Half an orange zest and juice (or 50ml milk)

Blackcurrant jam

Natural yoghurt or double cream (200ml)

Method:

:Preheat oven to 180°c, grease two 20cm diameter sandwich tins. 

: Whisk the sugar and butter until pale looking.

: Add the eggs one at a time and whisk.

: Sieve in the flour, put the whisk to one side and grab a large metal spoon.

: Use the spoon as a microphone while a good tune is on, then fold in the flour and blueberries.

: Incorporate the zest and juice, this flour needs a bit of liquid so this is why orange juice got involved - if you prefer milk that's cool.

: Divide the mixture between two tins, this is hard to get exactly equal, a good tip is to scoop in two spoons at a time.

: Bake for 25 minutes until golden at the top.

Take out and turn upside down on cooling rack, then you will see the most beautiful spots of blue. At this point I was mesmerised and knew this had to be shown off.

 Once cool spread blackberry jam and dollops of yoghurt, or whisk the double cream and spread that instead.

Originally the cake was going to be sandwiched with cream and I bought a pot of single cream - silly idea. I was whisking for about ten solid minutes then realised something is really wrong. Today's lesson, single cream cannot be whipped for a filling, only double cream.

Saw the yoghurt and put a few spoons of that on instead, I would recommend using yoghurt if you are serving this cake straight away.

Dust over with icing sugar.

DONE!

Favourite Song:

ê'It's Tricky' By RUN-DMC