The Best Snickerdoodles!

Back in February I stayed with my friend Lydia for a few days while Hannah was in Yorkshire. She is the most amazing cook (with a collection of beautiful cookware) and so I had the pleasure of sampling some of the tastiest food known to my mouth. The first night she cooked a gorgeous pasta dish with butternut squash and pine nuts and pecorino melted on the top (I am a firm believer in a pasta dish not being finished until it has been put back under a grill blanketed in cheese) and ummm it was delicious. I was also treated to a delightfully boozy tiramisu (one of my favourite desserts) and tried snickerdoodles for the first time! Now I can't lie, I find the name of these crumbly melt-in-the-mouth little balls of heaven to be rather off putting - I really do not like Snickers bars, but let me tell you I was so so so wrong (and my low expectations made it an even better experience). If you have not tried these before you are in for a treat!

Ingredients

165g flour (I used self-raising)

1 egg

Vanilla Rainbow Buns

Everyone loves colour, especially bright colours so what could be more exciting than these moist and fluffy Vanilla Rainbow Buns? Although not the most obvious choice for a cake, these are fun to create and little kids, big kids (my friends, despite at 19 one is an 'autonomous adult') and even bigger kids (my dad!) alike will enjoy these crazy colourful cakes.

This recipe will make 12 large muffin sized cakes or one 7" cake.

 

Ingredients 

100g unsalted butter

100g sugar

Maple Cheesecake Brownies

Adapted from my favourite baking blog, Smitten Kitchen you should definitely check it out (but please don't forget about me I am new to all this!)

Having finally treated myself to the expensive culinary necessity that is maple syrup I decided these maple cheesecake brownies would be the perfect first thing to bake with it! The combination of the gooey chocolatey brownie with the lighter baked cheesecake makes for a perfect post tea treat - and a useful bribery tool to get your other half to do the washing up, always a bonus.

Maple Cheesecake Brownies

Ingredients

For the brownie batter:
60g butter
85g plain chocolate
1 cup sugar

Honey and Pecan Granola

Now I don't know about you but there isn't an hour that goes by when I don't think about food (she says eating a toasted chocolate orange hot cross bun) and when I am lying in bed at 11 o clock - you see if I go to bed any later than 10 my tummy thinks it should be fed for working over time - what nicer thing to think about that a scrumptious breakfast waiting for me in the morning. The thought of my honey and pecan granola certainly sees me into a happy sleep!

Ingredients

150g jumbo rolled oats
150g your basic rolled oats (I use Tesco every day value and despite common misconceptions these own brand oats are delightful and wonderfully versatile!)
150ml apple juice
50g sugar (more or less to taste - last time I made with only a sprinkling of sugar and it is still heavenly)
50g flaked almonds

Gooey Lemon Bars

I have finished uni for the term and what better way to spend my three weeks of luxury (and perpetual bordem) is there than baking (and revising :( ) Hannah my wonderful wonderful girlfriend and my number one go to tester of all culinary creations is still in college so today I thought I would make her gooey lemon bars. Hannah is particularly fond of a deep base (cheese cakes must adhere to her cream cheese to base ratio preference *demand*) and so these bars are the perfect way to put a smile on her face when she gets home!

Ingredients

Now here is where things get a little confusing, last time I made these I made them along side two 15cm diameter lemon tarts, I used half the filling mixture for the tarts and half for the lemon bars I made in a loaf tin. If you too plan to make bars in a loaf tin then half the recipe (use 1 large egg instead of 3 medium) but if using a deep tray bake tin the amounts below will be fine!

For the base:
190g unsalted butter (I melted this before use)

Brûléed (sort of) Lemon tart

I LOVE lemon desserts and have always wanted to have a go at making a lemon tart - this weekend I finally got round to it and I made not only a lemon tart but TWO lemon tarts and had mixture left over to make lemon bars mmmmmmmmmmmmm

Ingredients

For the crust:

200g nice biscuits
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Good Morning Good Morning!

My first recipe isn't really a recipe, more a mouthwatering combination of delicious things that I like to eat for breakfast in one big until-lunch-time-lasting bowl!
(I will upload a picture when I miraculously remember to take my camera into the kitchen when I'm still half asleep)

Ingredients
 
1 cup of porridge oats
1/3 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp demerara sugar
2 cups of milk (or 1 cup water, 1 cup milk)
1 large tsp honey
1/2 - 1 banana depending on individual preference

 Add the porridge oats, cinnamon, sugar and milk to the pan and stir continually until the porridge thickens. Once the porridge has thickened sufficiently take off the heat and stir in a splash more milk (I tend to find if I miss out this last step the porridge thickens more before I eat it, but obviously it depends how you like your porridge!). Poor the porridge into a bowl, slice the banana and add to the top. Finally drizzle the honey all over the top of porridge (personally I like to make sure the bananas are well and truly covered in honey!) and voila!

Additionally (for me this happens earlier in the week when I have some left over after making American Style pancakes mmmmmm) you could add a heaped tsp (more or less to taste) of berry coulis to the porridge before adding the banana and honey. To make add half a cup of mixed berries (I use frozen as I am a poor poor student!), 1/4 cup of sugar, a squeeze of lemon juice and if you are feeling particularly adventurous (and happen to have this lurking in your cupboard) a dash of raspberry liqueur to a pan and heat until the berries soften (approximately 5 minutes).