Chocolate and Coconut Granola

Last week the lovely Hayley from Away With The Fairy Cakes posted a link on my Facebook page with the caption "You'll LOVE this!!".  The link was the Amazon page for the wonderful book The Vintage Tea Party by Angel Adoree.  Hayley was right, I did love it! So much so I bought it and even stumped up for next day delivery, unheard of!

I received it the following day and, much to Kris' annoyance, took it to work where I spent the whole afternoon drinking tea and pouring over the stunning photographs and mouth watering recipes.  I just couldn't wait to make good use of it.

Recently I vowed to myself to start eating a decent breakfast rather than my usual cup of tea on the run. What a perfect way to start my new mission than with this delicious chocolate and coconut granola from the brunch section of the book.

Chocolate & Coconut Granola

(From The Vintage Tea Party)

Ingredients:

240g rolled oats

175g flaked almonds

70g unsweetened shredded coconut

70g dark brown sugar

40g cocoa powder

90ml honey

50ml vegetable oil

1tsp cinnamon

3/4tsp salt

Method:

Preheat your oven to 120C / 100C Fan.

In a large bowl mix together the oats, coconut, almonds and sugar. In a separate bowl combine the honey, oil, cocoa powder, cinnamon and salt.

Combine the two mixtures, getting your hands in to make sure everything is evenly mixed, spread the granola over two baking sheets and bake for 1 1/4 hours, stirring half way through to ensure an even colour.

Transfer to a large bowl and serve with Greek yogurt and berries. Delicious!

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Cherry Coke Cupcakes

 I've been itching to make Nigella Lawsons Coca Cola Cupcakes for quite some time now, so when I saw Confessions of a Cookbook Queen had blogged some stunning Cherry Coke Cupcakes I just had to give them a try!  Although I didn't use the recipes featured on that blog I decided to use her cakes as my decorating inspiration.

These cupcakes are simply amazing! The coke flavour really comes through in the sponge, the cherry frosting is just to die for and the less I say about the cola glaze the better (I was reduced to eating it with a spoon, enough said).

If you don't already own this book I would highly recommend picking it up. It really is Nigellas best work and it's probably one of my most used cookbooks! I mean, it's Nigella, would she ever steer us wrong?

Cherry Coke Cupcakes

(Adapted from How to be a Domestic Goddess)

Ingredients:

Cupcakes:

200g (7oz) plain flour - sieved

*250g (8.8oz) golden caster sugar

1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

125ml buttermilk (or 30g/1oz yogurt mixed with 100ml/3.3 Fluid oz of semi-skimmed milk)

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

125g (4.4oz) unsalted butter

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

175ml (6 fluid oz) Coca-Cola

Frosting:

125g unsalted butter

500g icing sugar

50ml milk (more if needed)

1 small slug of syrup from a jar of morello cherries

Glaze:

225g (8oz) icing sugar (confectioners sugar)

2 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons of Coca-Cola

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (essence) 

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Beat the egg, buttermilk and vanilla in in a measuring jug. In a heavy-based saucepan, melt the butter, cocoa and Coca-cola, heating it gently. Pour into the dry ingredients, stir well with a wooden spoon, and then add the liquid ingredients from the jug, beating until it is well blended.

Pour into a muffin tin that has been greased or lined with papers and bake for 15 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.

For the frosting put the  unsalted butter into an electric mixer and begin to mix on a low speed.  Add the icing sugar by the spoonful, adding milk if the frosting becomes too dry.  Pour in a little of the cherry syrup and tint the frosting a pale pink. Leave to mix for 5 minutes until light and fluffy.

For the glaze sieve the icing sugar and set aside. In a heavy-based saucepan, combine the butter, Coca-Cola and cocoa and stir over a low heat until the butter has melted. Remove from the heat, add the vanilla, and spoon in the sieved icing sugar, beating as you do, until you’ve got a good, spreadable, but still runny, icing. Pour over the frosted cupcakes and allow to dribble do the sides a little.  Top with a gummy cola bottle and a cherry.

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Lavender Shortbread

During a recent visit to Northallerton for my Betty's Cauliflower Cake fix I discovered the most amazing Deli, Lewis and Cooper. Among the fabulous treats I piled into my basket was a tiny jar of edible lavender.  I've been searching local foodie hotspots for this delicious grandma inspired treat for months so I was ecstatic to finally bring my search to an end.

After some deliberation I decided to turn my delicate dried buds into the lavender scented shortbread from one of my most favoured cookbooks Eat Me.

To give them a more delicate flavour I decided to grind the lavender buds with the sugar rather than chopping them. I felt a scent of the flower would be better than having to pick the buds out of your teeth.

Lavender Scented Cookies

Ingredients:

110g unsalted butter

55g caster sugar

170g plain flour

1tsp dried edible lavender or 2tbs of fresh - roughly chopped

Method:

Preheat oven to 200C and grease a large baking sheet.

Cream together the butter and sugar till pale and fluffy. Stir in the flour and lavender and bring together in a soft ball.  Wrap in cingfilm and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface. Using a pretty cutter, stamp out biscuits reroling the scraps when necessary. Place on the baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for around 10 minutes or until lightly golden.

Leave the biscuits on the baking sheet to cool for 5 minutes before transfering to a wire rack.

Once cooled, I dipped the biscuits in lavender chocolate and dusted the with some pretty pink sprinkes.  Enjoy with a cup of earl grey tea.

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Peanut Butter Krispie Bars

Today was supposed to be my first day back to work, the end of the holidays, back to the grind.  Alas, I was cruelly struck down with a vicious cold thus forced to bid farewell to my fiancee and stay home.  The truth is, I'd rather be at work than stuck indoors all day with a raging fever and pounding head.  The only thing I could do to quell my boredom and illness was to drag my sorry self into the kitchen and make some peanut butter krispie bars.  Not only did it relieve a little of my cabin fever (see what I did there, bored but ill..oh never mind) but it won't half earn me some brownie points when the boy gets home!

This recipe is from Baked - New Frontiers in Baking and is the first installment of my New Years Resolution.  I've resurrected last years resolution of making something from each of my cookbooks and blogging the results. Stay tuned to see how I do in cooking Katies books!

Peanut Butter Krispy Bars

(Adapted from Baked - New Frontiers in Baking)

Ingredients

For the krispie layer:

1 3/4 cups of rice krispies

1/4 cup sugar

3tbsp golden syrup

3tbsp butter, melted

For the chocolate peanut butter layer:

5 ounces milk chocolate (I used dark, therefore I had no colour difference between the layers)

1 cup smooth peanut butter

For the chocolate icing:

3 ounces dark chocolate

1/2tsb golden syrup

4tbsp butter

Method:

Grease the bottom and sides of an 8" square baking pan.  Pour the rice krispies into a bowl and set aside.

Pour 1/4 cup of water into a small saucepan, add the sugar and the syrup being careful not to get any on the sides of the pan.  Stir gently to combine and set over a medium heat.  Cook the caramel until a candy thermometer reaches 235C or soft ball stage.

Remove from the head and pour over the rice krispies.  Working quickly, stir the cereal thoroughly until evenly coated in the caramel.  Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and press the mixture into an even layer using your hands.  Let the crust cool to room temperature while you make the next layer.

In a small saucepan over a medium heat melt together the peanut butter and chocolate until smooth.  Remove from the heat and continue to stir for 30 seconds to cool slightly.  Pour the mixture over the prepared crust and place into the fridge for one hour or until the top layer hardens.

Once cool make the chocolate icing.  In a large glass bowl combine the chocolate, butter and syrup.  Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, ensuring that the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water.  Stir the chocolate and butter until melted and smooth, remove from the heat and pour over the peanut butter layer.  Shake the tin gently to allow the chocolate to spread evenly.  Place the tin into the fridge for one hour or until hard.

Cut into 9 squares before serving.  These bars will keep for up to 4 days tightly wrapped in the fridge.

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