Chocolate Chip & Orange Cake

I have officially succumbed to my winter state (even though its still autumn) as we saw the first frost this morning and I also feel perpetually cold and so we bid adieu to all things summery and welcome in the knitwear and cosy baking season. I will say however I think its a little early to be putting up the fairy lights and Christmas tree, no joke but I know of more than a handful of people who have done so and that's not including the high-street shops, but I guess I excuse the rampant consumerism and excessive commercialisation of festivals because its adds to the fun.

Speaking of celebrations, remember remember the 5th of November, one of my favourite nights of the year. We had a big firework display in the garden and lots of people came round, there was a mini bonfire and popcorn, chips and pakoras oh and sparklers and cold noses and hot chocolate. The firework 'competition' with the neighbours and the noisy night and smog filled morning that follows - the usual traditions.

Unfortunately I didn't get round to baking anything, but if I had it would have been this chocolate and orange cake because what goes better with hot chocolate than a slab of warm, chocolaty, citrusy cake. This cake recipe is actually a spin of my usual lemon drizzle loaf which means its super fluffy and light but this time its loaded with chocolate chips and a subtle orange flavour. 

So to make this Chocolate Chip & Orange Cake you'll need the following ingredients:

- Butter or margarine
- Caster sugar
- Self raising flour
- Eggs
- Baking powder
- Milk
- Oranges
- Chocolate

Begin by creaming together 113g of butter/margarine and 113g of caster sugar until light and fluffy. Note that these amounts are suitable for a loaf cake, double up the recipe for a larger cake. 

Add in 2 eggs beating well after each addition, then grate the zest of one large orange and add this to the mixture.

Juice the same orange and stir this into the batter, in a pinch this can be substituted for pre-bought pure orange juice. 

Next sift in 138g of self raising flour and 1 tsp of baking powder along with 1 and 1/2 tblsp of milk. If wishing to omit the milk then just substitute for additional orange juice. 

Chop up a generous amount of chocolate (about 60g), if wanting more even sized chunks then opt for chocolate chips. Stir this into the cake batter but set some aside.

Spoon the batter into a lined loaf tin and top with the remaining chocolate chunks.
Place this into an oven preheated to Gas Mark 4 and bake for until golden brown and springy to the touch.

Once it comes out of the oven drizzle the top with some freshly squeezed orange juice and allow this to soak into the cake. 

 Serve with hot chocolate, orange slices and a good TV show (by the way, was anyone else disappointed with the GB Bake Off finale? I found it incredibly boring and that's not because I already knew who the winner was - thanks Prue!)

😋

Enjoy!

 Q x  

Pecan Chocolate Brownies

This year marked the first time I ever made brownies. I'm not too sure why but I always approached 'chocolate baking' with slight trepidation, maybe because its such a strong flavour that it'll turn out delicious or not so (also I'm not the biggest chocolate fan, I have to admit). However, I have overcome this small cooking hurdle of mine due to my little brother's insistence that I never make food he likes aka chocolate flavoured anything. 

Thus began the mission to create a decent brownie and after searching high and low and surfing (or should I say sifting) through a ton of recipes, this one caught my eye and it was love at first bite. Chewy, fudgy, melty and of course chocolatey - these are the ideal brownies, also they're ridiculously easy to make, I didn't even have to bring out the stand mixer, just a bowl and some good old elbow grease (disclaimer: other utensils and ingredients required!)

Funnily enough I ate some of these brownies with tea from a flask on a sand dune, which I highly recommend. This was on a day-trip to the coast and these brownies tasted particularly good after trekking across a windy beachfront and walking through pinewoods where the red squirrels live. Although I know that they will taste just as good cosied up on the sofa with blankets and a mug of tea.

So to make these pecan chocolate brownies you will need the following ingredients:

- Margarine (or butter)

- Eggs

- Granulated sugar & brown sugar

- Plain flour

- Cocoa powder

- Vegetable oil

- Chocolate; milk/dark

- Pecans

To began with melt 230g of margarine in the microwave in a heatproof bowl, to this add 180g brown sugar, 240g granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and beat until well incorporated. The oil ensures the brownies stay soft and moist.

Crack in 4 eggs and 1/2 tsp of salt, whisk until the mixture is even in colour. The salt is optional but recommended as it enhanced the chocolate flavour, similarly you can add in around 3 tsp of vanilla if desired.

Then sift in 150g plain flour and 115g unsweetened cocoa powder, fold into the wet ingredients until well mixed but take care not to over beat the mixture as it can result in tough brownies.

 Chop up around 150g chocolate and 120g pecans - alter the amount depending on your preference. You can use milk, plain or white chocolate and substitute walnuts for the pecans.

Fold this into the brownie batter but set some aside to sprinkle on top. Note that the mixture will be very thick, this is to be expected.

Spoon and spread the batter into a greaseproof paper lined baking tin - use whatever tin you have but note that the smaller it is, the taller/thicker the brownies will be. Sprinkle on the chopped nuts and chocolate.

Place the tin into a oven preheated to Gas Mark 4 and bake for 30-35 minutes.

The amount baking time required will vary depending on your oven, but as a reference the tray should be removed from the oven once the top looks cooked and when touched it is well set. Take care not to over-bake as this will change the texture of the brownies. Leave in the tin to cool for around 15 minutes.

Chop into squares or cut smaller pieces to create brownie bites. These taste delicious with vanilla icecream, cold milk, whipped cream or hot tea.

I hope you give this recipe a try! Oh and here's a snap of the coastal pinewoods because look how pretty.

😋

Enjoy!

 Q x  

*recipe adapted from Gemma's Bigger Bolder Baking

Rainbow Pasta Bolognese

The seasons have finally changed and the cold weather is upon us, I have been acutely aware of this because I've already caught a cold, twice. When this happens I have to resort to my mum's chicken soup recipe, it is full of good stuff and I usually feel better after having had it, but here's a little secret, I hate soup (particularly chicken soup). Yet I do know that a lot of people actually enjoy it, a friend of mine used to have soup everyday for lunch.. willingly. 

It was her idea of comfort food. Now I'm a big advocate of each to their own and all that, but my idea of comfort food contrasts significantly, right now I'm thinking melty cheese (in any form), pasta and hot pudding. All of the carbs and calories, oops. But its fine because according to the internet, comfort food provides a nostalgic or sentimental value to someone and may be characterised by its high caloric nature, high carbohydrate level, or simple preparation. 

So pasta definitely ticks all of these boxes and for me it is the epitome of comfort food!  

As you may or may not know, I'm definitely more of a dessert girl but this particular recipe is one of the first main course meals I successfully made. It is still my go-to for when I have to cook something that doesn't include sugar, as its a particularly forgiving recipe and turns out delicious every time. 

By no means is it authentic Italian but what it lacks in cultural authenticity it more than makes up for in flavour. Side note, this reminds me of what an Italian coursemate in uni used to say; people will put tomato sauce on anything and call it Italian. So I'm not about to do that, in fact if anything this pasta has a desi twist i.e. it is on the spicier side and it is is packed with flavour, owing to the combination of spices, vegetables, meat and sauce. 
(Speaking of Italian I have to mention last weeks GBBO, I guess sfogliatelle is next on my baking list, just kidding!) 

To make this Rainbow Pasta Bolognese, start with the following ingredients:

- Pasta

- Tomato Puree

- Tinned plum tomatoes

- Onions, ginger, garlic

- Bell peppers, peas, sweetcorn, carrots, mushroom

 Begin by bringing a large pan of salted water to a boil and add two cereal bowls worth of pasta. Give it a stir, turn the heat to low and leave to simmer for around 15 minutes or until the pasta is al dente. 

Drain and set aside when required (this is to be done whilst you are making the pasta sauce so both components are ready at around the same time).

Make a start on the pasta sauce base by blending together 2 onions, 2 cloves of garlic and an inch of ginger using an electric hand mixer.

Heat around 5 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large pan, to this add in the onion blend and cook until golden brown.

Now for the spices; 1 tblsp salt, 1 tblsp mixed herbs, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp tandoori masala, 1/2 tsp garam masala.

Stir this into the onion blend and allow it to sizzle.

Now stir in a around 4-5 tablespoons of tomato puree and 1/2 a cup of water and incorporate.

If wanting to add meat to the dish then this is the stage at which to do it - add in 1 pound of chicken mince and keep stirring it on low heat to ensure that the meat does not clump up. 
Keep doing this until the chicken is cooked i.e. white in colour, the meat will also release its own liquid and you need to allow for this to evaporate. Cook until the desired consistency is reached.

Now for the tinned tomato, blend the contents in a jug beforehand to ensure there are no lumps then pour this into the pan.

Add in the vegetables (aka the rainbow) and cook for a few minutes. 

To create the sauce consistency mix in 3/4 of a cup of water and a splash of Piri piri sauce (this is the one that I use), put the lid on the pan and leave in to cook on low heat until the vegetables are sufficiently cooked through. Taste test and add more salt if required.

Finally, add the drained pasta to the sauce and gently stir to incorporate.

Serve hot, with added cheese if desired.
This also makes a great pasta bake/lasagna if you layer with béchamel sauce, top with grated cheddar and bake in the oven (let me know if you want the exact recipe!)
😋

Enjoy!

 Q x  

Vanilla Cake with Nutella Frosting

Happy Thursday folks! I've had a pretty relaxing day off which has consisted of nothing the least bit productive and I mostly blame that on the social media wormhole. 
I ended up watching one too many cake decorating videos on Instagram as well and let me tell you, some people are ridiculously talented and elevate icing to an art form. 
It may have given me some much needed motivation to try and learn some new skills but we shall see how that goes. I suppose I would describe my decorating skills as rustic, in other words, I'm not one for fancy decorating and that is perfectly reflected in the cake that I made for my sister last week. The whipped cream frosting and fresh flowers made it look effortlessly pretty with minimal effort and it gets extra points for being so delicious. 

I remember as a child, birthday cakes were all about insane amounts of fondant icing (with a cartoon character or two), crazy food colouring and lots of sugar. The alternative in our house was the chocolate gateaux that you would have to defrost for a couple of hours, now I'll admit that I still think that it tastes great but rather than making a trip to Iceland (the shop not the country, for those who are confused) homemade birthday cakes are just a little more special. 
For this one I decided to try a Nutella frosting as an ode to the chocolate gateaux cream and the flowers were actually an unplanned addition, as lots of people came over and with time constraints I went with a more simple decoration. But all's well that ends well!

This light vanilla sponge is also the perfect recipe to have in your baking repertoire because it is easily adaptable, seeing as it uses the 1:1 method i.e. equal quantities of most ingredients so it can upscaled for larger cakes. 

So to make the vanilla cake you will need the following ingredients:

- Margarine

- Caster sugar

- Self raising flour

- Baking powder

- Vanilla essence

- Eggs

- Milk

To begin with measure out 225g of soft margarine and 225g of caster sugar and cream until pale and fluffy.
Then add 4 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. If the mixture curdles at this stage, don't worry because it will be rectified later on.

Next sift in 225g of self raising flour and 2 tsp of baking powder and mix until well combined.

Add in 2 tsp of milk and 2 tsp of vanilla, give the batter a quick mix.

Divide the mixture evenly between two round tins lined with baking paper, alternatively use a large rectangle tin. Bake in a Gas Mark 4 oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown and an inserted skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool.

To make the Nutella frosting you will need the following ingredients:

- Nutella (or other hazelnut spread)
- Double cream
- Icing sugar
- Butter
- Vanilla extract 

Begin by beating together around 3 tablespoons of butter and 3 tablespoons of Nutella together in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.

Then add in 1 1/4 cup of icing sugar, 4 tblsp of double cream and 1 tsp vanilla, whip until the desired consistency is reached. Add more sugar or cream as you see fit.

Once the cakes are completely cool begin to assemble; sandwich the frosting between the layers and over the top and sides of the cake using a palette knife. Transfer the cake to fridge to allow the frosting to set.

 The cake can be decorated as desired,  I opted for some fresh flowers and a few berries. All decorating supplies gathered from the garden!

You could also add some Ferrero Rocher, a ganache drip or using a piping bag fitted with a star tip pipe on some rosettes.
😋

Enjoy!

 Q x