Ultimate problem solving.

Let me set the scene...
Every Sunday, I bake for the week ahead.  What I bake will change from week to week except that I always bake a batch of biscuits for lunches and a sweet treat.  Those who know me well, know that in my life, routine is key and I do not like to deviate from my routines unless absolutely necessary.

Today, I had quite a dilemma.  After all of the week's baking, I didn't have enough butter to whip up a batch of bikkies! So I thought and I thought and I searched and I searched (just in case there was some more butter hiding in the nooks of the fridge where butter tends to hide).  After my thinking and much searching I was left standing in the kitchen with a block of Philly cream cheese.....lightbulb!

Here is the recipe for my Chocolate Chip 'Lightbulb' Cookies.  Oh, they are amazing.  These will be becoming a regular part of my Sunday bake routine!

Chocolate Chip 'Lightbulb' Cookies

120g unsalted butter

75g cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup caster sugar

 2 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cornflour

2 1/4 cups plain flour

200g chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees celsius.  Cream the butter, cream cheese, sugars and vanilla.  When we//-creamed, mix in the egg.  Sift in the baking soda and flours.  Mix well and then give the dough a quick knead until smooth.  Use a spatula to incorporate the chocolate chips.  Roll into tablespoon sized balls and push to flatten a little.  Bake for 10-12 minutes until cooked to your liking.

Wishing you many a successful Sunday bake!

F. x

Sweet tooth...satisfied!

Tonight, we are madly packing for a flying trip to Brisbane for my father's birthday.  Despite this, I just had to try out this recipe that I've been turning around and around my head for days!  These cupcakes are sweet and rich and divinely fudgy.  Delicious chocolate morsels are a sweet surprise inside these heavenly cakes.  There isn't much better - except maybe for the choc-hazelnut buttercream with adorns these beauties.  Cupcakes for grown-ups...a indulgent hit of whisky means that no kiddies will be licking this bowl!

Fudgy Chocolate Mudcakes

175g good quality dark chocolate

175g unsalted butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

80 mL whisky

200g brown sugar

200g caster sugar

3 eggs, beaten

225g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

a pinch of salt

110g chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 170 degrees. Melt chocolate, butter, vanilla and whisky together until smooth and glossy (I do this in the microwave).  While the mixture is still hot, beat in the sugars.  Add the eggs and combine well before mixing in the sifted flour, baking powder and salt.  When batter is well-mixed, stir through the chocolate chips.  Distribute batter into baking cups and bake for 20-30 minutes.  Baking time will depend on the size of your baking cups.  When cooked, cupcakes will have a hard crust and a skewer, inserted, will be mostly clean.  Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

Choc-hazelnut Buttercream

125g unsalted butter

3 cups icing sugar, sifted

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 tbsp nutella

3 tbsp cocoa, sifted

Beat butter and sugar together for 10 minutes until almost white.  Mix in vanilla, nutella and cocoa. 

F. x

That's the way the cookie crumbles...

After a raspberry scone disaster, early this morning (and one I'd rather not talk about), I got onto making a batch of yummy cookies using my fail-safe recipe.  I truly needed the success!  What I love about cookies is that they are homely perfection.  They take roughly 5 minutes to mix up and 12 minutes to cook - who says they haven't got time to bake?!  Plus, there isn't much that can beat the smell of freshy baked biscuits.  It is the universal aroma of 'home'.

This week, I doubled the recipe and then halved the batch to make half chocolate chip, and half with lovely raw peanuts.  Both as delicious as the other and the perfect partners to a steaming cup of coffee.  A theory that I intend to prove again, this afternoon.

Yet another recipe that you can make your own, add whatever you have lying around in the pantry.  Of course, chocolate chips and nuts are the standard but raisins, lemon rind or dried apple also make for an absolute treat.  Perfect for baking on a weekend such as this, please do give these a try.

'Fail Safe' Chocolate Chip Cookies

125g soft butter

1/2 cup caster sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 small eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups S.R. flour

1 cup chocolate chips (or whatever else takes your fancy)

Preheat your oven to 160 degrees C.  Cream butter and sugars together until like and pale.  Beat in eggs, one at time, before adding vanilla.  Sift in flour and combine well.  Fold in chocolate chips.

Place teaspoon sized balls of the mixure on pre-lined baking trays.  These cookies spread so space them well apart.  Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes, depending on your oven.  If you take them out as they are starting to brown, you will end up with a slightly chewy cookie upon cooling.  Let them brown more if you prefer yours crunchy.

F. x