Lemon Curd Crumble Bars

These deliciously zingy, crumbly bars are to die for. Bright and tangy lemon curd sandwiched between a buttery biscuit base and a nutty, oaty crumble layer. Simply brew up a pot of Earl Grey and enjoy.

Cake pit stops are vital for any day out, don't you agree?  For me, it simply isn't a successful outing if we haven't stopped for a spot of tea and cake.  A few weeks ago, Kris and I were on one of our many antique hunting trips (I saw we, I mean me while he follows me through dusty piles of vintage kitchenware, grumbling under his breath) when we passed the cutest little cake shop.  Obviously it's against the law to be British and ignore tea and cake so in we went.  Instantly my eyes went straight to a pile of lemon shortbread crumble bars. Not other cake mattered to me in that instance, this was the sweet treat for me. So I ordered myself a bar and a cup of Earl Grey (Kris had something mile high and covered with chocolate, standard) and settled down by the window to enjoy my spoils.  Needless to say, dear reader, it was crap! It tasted like it had been sat out since the dawn of time, cardboard would have packed a better punch than this sorry affair.  Is there anything more disappointing?   I left, deflated and unsatisfied, with a solemn vow never to return and to make my own version at home. A version that is not, indeed, crap.  Well, I think I nailed it!

A super buttery shortbread base, laced with lemon zest topped with creamy lemon curd before an oaty, crumble layer is added. Screw your cardboard cakes, this sucker has lemony goodness in every mouthful.

I just love these bars, not only are they super simple to make but I always seem to have the ingredients to hand. I mean, if you don't constantly have a jar of lemon curd in your cupboard, can we even be friends?

Lemon Curd Crumble Bars
(adapted from Waitrose Magazine)

Ingredients:

• 170g unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 285g plain flour
• 75g caster sugar
• 1/2tsp salt
• 1/2tsp baking powder
• 1 large, free range egg yolk
• 1 lemon zested
• 50g unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes
• 20g demerera sugar
• 25g rolled oats
• 20g flaked almonds
• 20g walnuts, roughly chopped
• 325g jar of best quality lemon curd

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 175°C, grease and line a 22cm square tin with baking parchment. In a food processor, pulse together the butter and flour until soft crumbs form. Stir in the caster sugar and salt, then remove 1 /3 of the mixture and set aside in a bowl.
2. Add the baking powder, egg yolk and lemon zest to the remaining mixture in the food processor and continue to pulse until combined. Tip into the baking tin and press down to form an even layer. Bake for 15 minutes, then allow to cool for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, add the demerara sugar, oats and nuts to the reserved mixture with the butter and add 1tbsp water. Using your fingers rub the butter into the dry mixture until it's all nice and chunky.
4. Spread the lemon curd over the biscuit base, then top with the crumble mixture. Bake for 20 minutes, or until lightly golden. Remove and allow to cool completely in the tin.
5. Remove from the tin and slice into bars. 

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Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Baked Doughnuts

These moist and delicious chocolate chip studded, banana bread doughnuts are dipped in a rich chocolate ganache before being sprinkled with chopped pecans for added crunch. You'll be back for seconds, or even thirds.

Banana bread is one of my favourite, and most baked recipes in the world.  There's nothing better than the rich fug emanating from the kitchen when you've got a banana bread or two in the oven. It's the first thing I recommend for baking novices, and the first thing I think to bake for friends and family. It truly is a staple in my life.  That being said, I've never turned it into doughnuts... until now.

Chocolate chip banana bread baked doughnuts, it just rolls right off the tongue, doesn't it? Well, I can promise you that these little buggers are a much better mouthful than their name.  Just don't try to say it with your mouth full of doughnut, trust me.

I just love baked doughnuts, aren't they just the cutest? All the fun of the fair without the big old hassle of deep frying. Not that I don't like fried doughnuts, they're just more of an event.  I'm an equal opportunities doughnut fan.

You're gonna need a 6 hole doughnut pan for this recipe. If you don't already have one, this is the one I use. I've had it for absolutely years now and it's still going strong.

Still looking for bananary inspiration? Check out my other banana bread recipes here: Double Chocolate Banana Bread / Hazelnut Banana Bread / Banana & Chocolate French Toast / Banana Bread

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Baked Doughnuts

Ingredients:

• 2 medium, very ripe bananas, mashed
• 100g light brown sugar
• 75g unsalted butter, melted
• 150g plain flour
• 1tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 large, free range egg
• 100g chocolate chips
• 200g dark chocolate, chopped
• 400ml double cream
• 50g chopped pecans

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 175C and grease the hollows of a doughnut pan.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer mix together the mashed banana, melted butter and egg. Stir through the flour, baking powder and cinnamon until just combined. Stir through the chocolate chips.
3. Pour the batter into a large piping bag and pipe into the prepared doughnut pan, filling each hollow to the top. Bake for 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire cooling rack.
4. To make the chocolate glaze place the chopped chocolate into a bowl and set aside. Heat the double cream to just below boiling point, pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and let sit for a few minutes. Stir the cream and chocolate together until fully melted and glossy.
5. Dip each cooled doughnut into the chocolate glaze and sprinkle with the chopped pecans.

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Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies

These chocolate chip cookies use ground pecans and coconut in the flour mixture and the darkest chocolate to give them a deep, sophisticated taste.  This is a cookie for the adults, no kids allowed. Unless they've been really good...

I wonder how many chocolate chip cookie recipes I can possibly fit on this blog?  The funny thing is, I'm not anywhere near done yet.  As long as different variations on this ultimate classic exist, I'll keep baking 'em.  It's hard work, but someone has to do it.

I'm definitely team nut (and team raisin, I'll fight anyone who disagrees) when it comes to cookies, I'll always choose a pecan studded number over a plain chocolate chip.  Nuts add a wonderful texture to a cookie, or muffin, or any sweet treat if you ask me.  It works out perfectly in my house as Kris is an avid nut (and raisin) hater, so I know that if I want a treat and not have to worry about it vanishing, I can always whip up a big batch of these pecan chocolate chip cookies.

At least that's what I thought. I made a batch of these cookies, smugly knowing they were just for me, when I noticed Kris loitering around the kitchen. He was a little too interested in what was going on for my liking. 'They're full of nuts, you won't like them!' I shouted, brandishing a wooden spoon protectively.  He simply shrugged and popped a full cookie in his mouth.  Over the next few days I'd say he ate around 80% of the batch, I still haven't decided whether it was a failure or a success.  I'd failed in making something just for me but succeeded in making something so delicious that even a nut hater would renounce his stance and devour the lot.  

Nope, I'm still thinking....

So, are you a fan of nuts in cookies, and more importantly, will you be giving these babies a go to test your alliance?   Give them a go; you never know, they might change your mind.

Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

• 75g desiccated coconut
• 150g pecans
• 125g plain flour
• 1/2tsp baking powder
• 1/4tsp salt
• 125g unsalted butter at room temperature
• 80g light brown sugar
• 50g caster sugar
• 1 large, free range egg
• 2tbsp black treacle
• 200g best quality dark chocolate, chopped

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 175C and line two cookie sheets with baking parchment. Spread the coconut and pecans onto each of the lined cookie sheets and bake for 8 minutes until lightly toasted and fragrant. Allow to cool.
2. Take 50g of the toasted pecan nuts and transfer them to a food processor and pulse until they form fine crumbs. Chop the remaining pecans roughly and set aside.
3. Stir the toasted coconut, pecan crumbs, flour, baking powder and salt together and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer mix together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, around 5 minutes. Beat in the egg followed by the black treacle then dump the flour mixture in and mix slowly until just combined. Stir through the chocolate and chopped pecans then cover the bowl with cling film and rest in the fridge for 1 hour or up to overnight.
4. When you're ready to bake the cookies scoop out heaped tablespoons of the dough and place on the prepared baking sheets from toasting the nuts, giving the cookies a little room to spread. Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, allow to cool slightly on the baking tray before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling.

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Black Bottomed Oatmeal Pie

Often referred to as poor mans pecan pie this black bottomed oatmeal pie is a bit easier on the pockets that it's nutty sibling.  A layer of chocolate ganache topped with a syrupy oatmeal filling sitting in a buttery crust makes this a truly rich and decadent dessert. There's nothing poor about this pie.

This is my second recipe from the The Four & Twenty Blackbirds Pie Book and man alive do those girls know their pies. Like a cross between a pecan pie and a giant chocolate chip oatmeal cookie, this pie ticks all of my boxes. It's gooey, it's rich and it's absolutely banging with a big old scoop of vanilla ice cream.  Or as the Americans say, a la mode. 

Making a pie crust puts me smack bang in the middle of my happy place. It's such a therapeutic, methodic process.  Everything has to be handled just so, with the lightest of hands and the coldest of ingredients. I love the exactness. I see so many recipes championing store bought pastry but I never seem to have a good experience, it always shrinks and never tastes as good as from scratch. While it might seem like a lot of work to make your own, I really recommend you give it a go. Throw on some music or delve into a true crime podcast and just lose yourself in the process. If you really want top swot marks, double the ingredients and freeze half of the dough for future pie making endeavours. 

There's always one thing that puts me off making a traditional pecan pie, that's right, the price. A big pack of pecan nuts can set you back close to a tenner, that's all well and good for a special occasion, but when you just fancy a dessert without the hefty price tag, this black bottomed oatmeal pie has you covered. I mean, a bag of oats is like 75p, that's a bit easier on the purse if you ask me.

Black Bottomed Oatmeal Pie

Ingredients:

• For the Pie Crust :
• 500g plain flour
• 1tsp salt
• 225g cold butter, cut into small cubes
• 75-100ml ice water


• For the Filling: 
• 150g rolled oats
• 60ml double cream
• 200g good quality plain chocolate, chopped
• 150g light brown sugar
• 1/2tsp salt
• 75g unsalted butter, melted
• 300g golden syrup
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 2tsp cider vinegar
• 4 large, free range eggs

Cooking Directions:

1. First of all, make your pie crust. Whisk together the flour and salt in a large bowl.


2. Drop the diced butter into the flour and work in in with your fingers, using a rubbing motion. You're looking for pea sized chunks of butter scattered throughout the flour.


3. Using a fork or your fingers, drizzle in the ice water a little at a time. When the dough starts to come together, squeeze it into a ball. If it looks too dry or pieces crumble off add a little more water and try again.


4. Gather the dough into a ball, and divide it in half. Gently pat each half into a rough disk. This recipe makes double the amount you need here so wrap one half in clingfilm and stash in the freezer for next time you make a pie. Roll the remaining half out into a circle big enough to fit your pie tin, crimp the edges then place in the fridge for 30 minutes.


5. Preheat the oven to 175°C and remove your pie crust from the fridge. Using a large square of baking paper crumple it up and open it out. Place the paper in the hollow of your pie and fill with baking beans (or dried beans). Baking in the oven for 20 minutes then remove the paper and beans and bake for a further 5 minutes. Allow to cool fully before carrying on with the rest of the recipe.


6. Spread the oats on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 160°C.


7. To make the ganache layer, using a in a heavy-bottomed saucepan bring the double cream just to a boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat and dump in the chocolate pieces. Swirl the cream around to distribute and cover the chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir gently until the chocolate is smooth and shiny. Scrape the ganache into the cooled pie shell and spread evenly over the bottom. Place the shell in the freezer to set the ganache while making the filling.


8. In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, salt, and melted butter. Add the golden syrup, vanilla, and cider vinegar and whisk to combine. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well between each addition. Stir in the cooled oats.


9. Place the ganache-coated pie shell on a rimmed baking sheet and pour in the filling. Bake on the middle of the oven for about 55 minutes. The pie is finished when the edges are set and puffed slightly and the centre is slightly firm to the touch but still has some give. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack, 2 to 3 hours. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature with lashings of cream.

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Grapefruit Olive Oil Cake

Moist, zingy and bright. This grapefruit olive oil cake is a delicious slice of sunshine on a plate.  Dip any left over candied grapefruit slices in chocolate for a delicious snack.

Can you believe it's finally Spring here in the UK. Although you can be forgiven for doubting it; it's still too cold to venture outside without a scarf and there's more snow warnings on the horizon, but it's gotta be over soon. Right?!  Even a staunch Winter lover like me is so over the chill, I'm ready for denim jackets, floaty dresses and dare I say, ditching the tights for bare legs. Oh me, oh my!

Growing up in my house, grapefruit was always considered a breakfast food. I used to love sitting down to half a grapefruit, sprinkled liberally with sugar. I even had a dedicated, serrated grapefruit spoon. I was a cool kid, what can I say. This means, in my eyes, grapefruit olive oil cake is perfectly acceptable as a breakfast food.  Cake for breakfast guys, I found a loophole!

Since the weather is refusing to play ball I thought I'd create a little slice of sunshine right here in my kitchen.  It's hard to be sad when you're oven is pumping out the warm, citrus scents of this grapefruit olive oil cake.  Plus you get to feel like a real life Willy Wonker candying up some grapefruit slices, just make sure you're careful and don't let any kids in the kitchen, sugar gets real hot y'all.

Grapefruit Olive Oil Cake

Ingredients:

• For the Candied Grapefruit :
• 1 small grapefruit, sliced into rounds
• 150g caster sugar
• 150ml water


• For the Cake:
• 200g caster sugar
• 225g self raising flour
• 1tsp baking powder
• 175ml olive oil
• 55g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 grapefruit, zested and juiced
• 4 large, free range eggs
• 250ml soured cream


• For the Glaze:
• 300g icing sugar
• 2-3tbsp of the grapefruit juice from above

Cooking Directions:

1. First make your candied grapefruit. Fill a large bowl with cold water and a handful of ice cubes and set aside. Fill a large saucepan 3/4 with water and bring to the boil. Once at a rolling boil lower in the grapefruit slices and simmer for 1 minute. Remove the slices to the ice water to cool down.


2. In the same (empty) pan add the 150ml water and sugar and bring to a simmer, stir until the sugar has dissolved. Place the boiled grapefruit slices into the sugar water and simmer for 1 hour. Place each slice on a baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper and allow to cool completely.


3. Preheat the oven to 175C and grease and line a loaf tin.


4. In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the sugar and grapefruit zest, mix until fragrant. While the motor is still running on the lowest speed add in the melted butter, olive oil, eggs and soured cream. Add in the flour and baking powder and mix until combined.


5. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 50-60 minutes or until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin before removing to a wire rack with a sheet of baking paper underneath.


6. To make the glaze combine the icing sugar with the grapefruit juice in a large bowl. Add the juice a little at a time until you get a thick, pourable consistency. If it's too thick, add a little more juice. If it's too thin, add a little more icing sugar.


7. Pour the glaze over the cake, allow to set for 10 minutes then decorate with the candied grapefruit slices.

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Persian Love Cake

Persian Love Cake is a beautifully scented, rich and delicious cake. Filled with exotic the flavours of cardamon, saffron and rose water this cake is truly a slice of luxury.  Loaded with ground almonds and creamy yogurt then drizzled with a sticky citrus syrup, this cake will keep perfectly for a few days while still retaining the moist texture. 

Isn't the name of this cake just beautiful, Persian Love Cake. I feel like a fairytale princess whenever I make it. Legend has it that a Persian woman concocted this cake and filled it with love magic in order to make a handsome Prince fall in love with her. Nobody can agree on whether the tale has a happy ending or not, but I like to think the Prince fell head over heels for the woman and they lived happily ever after. I mean, who could deny the loving powers of this cake.

Traditionally a Persian Love Cake is decorated with dried rose petals and chopped pistachios. Unfortunately I was unable to find dried rose petals... okay okay, I couldn't be bothered to look for them, you got me, so chopped pistachios and live roses will have to do. I still think it looks rather enchanting.

Persian Love Cake

Ingredients:

• 6 cardamom pods
• 100ml full fat milk
• pinch of saffron strands
• 6 large free range eggs
• 250g caster sugar
• 250ml full fat greek yogurt
• 200g ground almonds
• 100g plain flour
• 1tsp baking powder
• 2tsp rose water
• 75g pistachios, chopped
• 1 orange, zested (reserve juice for syrup)
• 1 lemon, zested (reserve juice for syrup)


• For the syrup:
• lemon juice from zested lemon
• orange juice from zested orange
• 50ml water
• 125g caster sugar
• 2tsp rosewater

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 175C and grease and line a 22cm cake tin.
2. Remove the cardamom seeds from their pods and lightly crush with a pestle and mortar.
3. Heat the milk in a small saucepan until warm (do not allow to boil) and add in the saffron strands, set aside while you make the cake.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer mix the eggs and sugar together till thick and creamy. Fold in the almonds, flour, baking powder and yogurt. Add the orange and lemon zest and the chopped pistachios and cardamon and gently fold through until just combined. Stir in the milk and rosewater.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 45-50 minutes, until golden and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out with just a few crumbs clinging to it.
6. While the cake is baking, make the syrup. In a medium, heavy bottomed saucepan combine the orange and lemon juice, water, sugar and rosewater and simmer over a medium low heat until the liquid has reduced by half. Around 10 minutes. Brush onto the warm cake and allow to cool in the tin.
7. Decorate with rose petals and more chopped pistachios and dust with icing sugar.

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Blood Orange and Almond Cake

This delicious blood orange and almond cake has an unusual method behind it, whole boiled oranges.  That's right, boil up some oranges, puree them down and add to the cake batter to make a deeply rich and decadent pudding-like consistency. Pair that with the sticky syrup drizzled over the surface, and the candied orange slices, and you've got a cake made in heaven.

Every year I looks forward to blood orange season, and every year I miss it.  For some reason or other I always seem to just zone out during January and February, my mind wanders to warmer places and the short blood orange season just passes me by. This year I've been badgering my greengrocer on a weekly basis, since November may I add, that as soon as they spot the sacred little red oranges in the fruit market they simply must pick some up for me. I tell you what, it pays to befriend your greengrocer.

Did I mention that this cake is naturally gluten free, no? Well, it is! Not that'd you'd ever tell. The moisture that comes from the sticky sweet syrup wards off any notion of dryness, meaning you can keep this saucy little number tucked away in a cake tin for a good few days. Hiya cake for a week.

Don't worry if you can't lay your hands on blood oranges, I know they're slippery little buggers to get ahold of. This cake is equally delicious with the regular variety. Jaffas are my favourite, incase you were wondering.

If orange cakes are your jam, check out these zesty babes: Orange Drizzle Loaf / Orange and Pistachio Cake / Jaffa Cake Slutty Brownies

Blood Orange and Almond Cake

Ingredients:

• For the orange slices :
• 1 small blood orange
• 150g caster sugar
• 150ml water


• For the cake :
• 500g blood oranges, whole
• 6 large, free range eggs
• 300g caster sugar
• 300g ground almonds
• 1tsp gluten free baking powder

Cooking Directions:

1. First make the orange slices. Slice the blood orange into thin rounds and set aside. Pour the sugar and water into a heavy bottomed sauce pan and bring to the boil. Once the sugar has dissolved add the orange sliced and turn the heat down low. Simmer for 10 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 150°C and line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Place the caramelised orange slices on the prepared baking sheet (reserving the syrup for later) and bake for 20 minutes. Flip the orange slices over and bake for another 20 minutes. Set aside to cool while you make the cake.
3. Place the whole blood oranges in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 1 hour.
4. While the oranges are simmering grease and line a 20cm, springform cake tin and preheat the oven to 160°C
5. Remove the boiled oranges from the pan and allow to cool slightly. Cut each orange in half and remove any pips before transferring to a food processor or blender and blending them down to a pulp.
6. Place the sugar and eggs in the bowl of an electric mixer and mix until light, thick and doubled in size. Add in the orange pulp followed by the ground almonds and baking powder and mix until fully incorporated.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out with just a few crumbs clinging to it.
8. Pour the reserved syrup over the warm cake and allow to cool completely in the tin. Once cool remove the cake and top the the orange slices. Serve with a dollop of mascarpone and a pot of tea on the side.

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

These chocolate peanut butter cupcakes are the perfect combination of sweet and slightly salty. Chocolate sponge topped with a swirl of creamy peanut butter frosting drizzled with melty chocolate and finished off with half a Reeses Peanut Butter Cup, the image of cupcake perfection.

When it's cold outside and I've spent the whole day making cupcakes at work, battled my way home through the biting wind which is ever present along the banks of the River Tyne before finally collapsing in the comfort of my warm house you'd think the last thing on my mind would be more baking.  You'd be wrong, I'm forever getting back from a day of baking in the shop only to pull out my Kitchenaid and whip up something sweet and sugary. It's an addiction.

These chocolate peanut butter cupcakes came about when I looked in the cupboard and realised I had a bumper pack of Reeses Peanut Butter Cups sitting unused. Rather than alert Kris and watch them vanish in a matter of moments, I thought I'd do something special with them, and whats more special than adorning the top of a cupcake?

Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting

Ingredients:

• For the cupcakes:
• 175g unsalted butter, softened
• 175g soft light brown sugar
• 3 large, free range eggs
• 175g self raising flour
• 1tsp baking powder
• 4tbsp cocoa powder
• 2tbsp whole milk


• For the frosting:
• 125g unsalted butter, softened
• 300g icing sugar
• 100g smooth peanut butter
• 2tbsp whole milk
• 50g plain chocolate, melted
• 6 Reese's peanut butter cups, halved

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 175°C fan and line a cupcake tray with 12 liners.
2. In a large bowl sift together the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder. Set aside.
3. Place the butter and sugar in an electric mixer and mix until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition. Add the flour mixture in one go ensuring all the ingredients are thoroughly combined. Mix the milk through the batter until smooth.
4. Fill the cupcake liners to 2/3 full and bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.
5. Allow to cool in the pan for five minutes before removing to finish cooling on a rack.
6. While the cupcakes are cooling, make the frosting.
7. Mix the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer until pale and soft. Add the icing sugar and the peanut butter and milk. Turn the mixer on low and gradually increase the speed. Whip for 5 minutes, if the frosting looks too stiff add a splash more milk until you reach a nice piping consistency.
8. Once the cupcakes have cooled fill a piping bag, fitted with an open star nozzle, with the peanut butter frosting and pipe a cute swirl on each cake. Drizzle each cake with the melted chocolate and top with half a peanut butter cup.

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Linzer Cookies

Linzer cookies are one of my absolute favourite cookies to make around the festive season. Not only are they quick and easy, they always look so beautiful.  Like delicate little works of art, worthy of any artisan baker's window display. It's all down to that light dusting of icing sugar right at the end, like little snow flecked ornaments, too pretty to eat. Whoever would have guessed you can knock them up in under an hour.  

You can use any jam you like in Linzer cookies, I like strawberry as it's traditional, but I think they would be delicious with any fruity flavours you have in your cupboard. I'm desperate to make some with some home-made cherry and amaretto jam, you just know that sounds delicious.

These cookies also make the most darling holiday gifts, all stacked up in little cellophane bags tied beautifully with some festive ribbon. Who wouldn't be thrilled by such a lovely, handmade present? Plus if you're lucky, the recipient may even invite you in for a cuppa and a Linzer. Win-win.

I like to customise the little jammy windows to the occasion I'm baking for. I used delicate little snowflakes here but I'm also partial to a wee heart or star.  You can go as wild as you like, fancy a little cat shaped window? Go for it, you do you!

Linzer Cookies

Ingredients:

• 230g unsalted butter, room temperature
• 230g caster sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2tsp fine salt
• 100g cornflour
• 450g plain flour
• 1 jar good quality strawberry jam
• 2tbsp icing sugar

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 175C and line two large baking sheets with baking parchment.
2. Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Beat together on medium-low speed until smooth and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula after each addition. Stir in the vanilla, salt, and cornstarch. Add the flour, a little at a time, mixing on medium-low speed after each addition.
3. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to around 3/8-inch thick. Use a round, fluted cookie cutter to cut circles then use a smaller cutter (I used a snowflake but you can use any shape you like to reflect the occasion)
4. to cut little windows in half of the cookies. Transfer to the prepared baking sheets and bake for 12 minutes or until barely coloured.
5. Cool completely. Spread a tablespoon of strawberry jam onto the bottom round cookies then top with the windowed cookies. Sift over a tbsp of icing sugar and serve.

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Super Moist Chocolate Cupcakes

I was glancing at my blog archives the other day and I realised, I've never shared a recipe for a basic chocolate cupcakes, or even a vanilla one for that matter.  Basic recipes are the building blocks of baking, once you've mastered a simple chocolate cupcake, you can customise it to your hearts content. Here I'm sharing the recipe for my favourite, super moist and delicious, chocolate cupcake.

These babies are people pleasers. Chocolate cake can often be dry and a bit uninspired, but this one is so light and moist you'll be going back for seconds, even thirds.  Once you've got this one down. you can add in a little peppermint extract for a chocolate mint cake or maybe grated orange zest for a nice chocolate orange zing. The world is your oyster.

So guys and girls, are there any more basic recipes you'd like to see here? I'd love to whip up some more simple bakes.

*I wholeheartedly apologise for using the word moist, I know I know. I hate it too.

Super Moist Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 150g plain flour
• 200g caster sugar
• 40g cocoa powder
• 1tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1/2tsp fine salt
• 1 large egg
• 120ml buttermilk
• 120ml sunflower oil
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 120ml hot water


• For the frosting :
• 250g unsalted butter, room temperature
• 350g plain chocolate, melted
• 20g cocoa powder
• 500g icing sugar
• 50-75ml whole milk

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 175°C and line a 12 hole cupcake tray with liners.
2. Sift all of the dry ingredients into a large bowl and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer add the egg, buttermilk, sunflower oil and vanilla and mix together. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing all the time. Add the water and mix to a thin batter.
3. Fill each cupcake liner 1/2 way with the chocolate batter and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Allow cupcakes to cool in the tray for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Make your frosting while the cakes are cooling.
4. Beat the softened butter in your electric mixer until smooth, pour in the melted chocolate and beat to combine. Add in the cocoa and icing sugar and mix, slowly add the milk until you reach a good piping consistency. (Not too stiff, not too soft). You may not need all of the milk.
5. Using a large closed star nozzle pipe a swirl of buttercream onto each cooled cupcake. Cakes can be kept in an airtight tin for up to 3 days.

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