Nutella is one of my favourite baking ingredients.  If you love Nutella, then these Nutella-chocolate-chip cookies are a must-try.  They are crisp on the outside, with a soft, gooey centre.  They are quick and easy to make, and the best part is they stay as tasty the next day!

This recipe was recommended to me by a friend, and will make around 30 medium-sized cookies.

Overall preparation time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

475g plain flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
120g butter (melted)
140g caster sugar
120g brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
60g Nutella
200g chocolate chips (I would recommend dark chocolate chips, as these complement the Nutella well)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to gas mark 5 and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.

2. Mix the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium sized bowl using a wooden spoon.

3. In another bowl cream the butter,  sugar and the brown sugar using an electric mixer. Add the eggs and the vanilla and mix on medium speed until combined.

4. Add in the flour mixture on low speed until combined. Then add in 30g of Nutella and gently fold it into the mixture.  You don’t want to mix the Nutella into the batter too much, in order to get ‘nutella swirls’ in the cookies.

5. Mix in the chocolate chips using a wooden spoon.

6. Scoop a small ball of dough into the palm of your hand and flatten.  Place a small dot of nutella in the centre and fold the edges of the dough around it, and flatten slightly.  Place the dough ball onto your baking tray.

7. Bake for about 8-10 minutes.  The cookies may feel soft when you remove them from the oven, but they will become crispier when cooled.

8. Remove cookies from try and let them cool on wire racks.

‘A cocktail in a cake’. 

Love mojitos? Can’t resist a cupcake? Then these mojito cupcakes are for you.

Whilst on holiday I visited Cacao Sweets & Treats in Grayslake, Illinois and came across the concept of alcoholic cupcakes. (www.cacaosweetsandtreats.com) They were so good that I decided to bake a batch myself! They really do taste like a real mojito, and make a perfect dessert!

Overall preparation time : 50 minutes

Ingredients:

For the Cupcakes:

• 115ml buttermilk
• 115g mint leaves, bruised
• 350g all-purpose flour
• 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
• 0.25 teaspoon salt
• 115g unsalted butter
• 235g granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• Zest and juice of 1.5 limes
• 2 tablespoons white rum
• 0.25 teaspoons vanilla extract

To brush the cupcakes:

• 2 tablespoons white rum
• 2 sprigs fresh mint

For the icing:

• 150g unsalted butter
• 400g icing sugar
• 1.5 tablespoons lime juice
• 3 tablespoons white rum

Method:

• Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 3 and line a cupcake tin with paper cases
• Bruise the mint leaves through tapping the leaves 10 – 15 times with the back of a spoon
• Place the buttermilk and mint leaves (for the cakes) in a saucepan over a low heat and warm until the mixture starts to steam, but do not simmer.  Remove from the heat and cover.  Leave to steep for 30 minutes then strain the mixture into a bowl using a sieve.  Make sure to press on any buttermilk solids and mint leaves to extract as much liquid as possible.

• In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time and beat thoroughly. (I would recommend using an electric mixture on medium-high speed!)
• Add the lime zest, lime juice, vanilla extract and rum.  Mix until combined.  Add the flour, baking powder and salt to this bowl and then the buttermilk mixture.

• Place the batter in the paper cases and bake for 25 minutes, until golden.
• While the cupcakes are baking, combine the rum and mint sprigs in a small saucepan and warm over a low heat and remove as soon as the mixture starts to simmer.  Steep until ready to use.
• Remove the cupcakes from the oven and cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Brush the tops of the cupcakes with the mint-infused rum.
• To make the icing, whip the butter and the icing sugar until incorporated.  Add the lime juice and rum.
• Frost the cupcakes and garnish with a lime wedge and mini-umbrella.  Enjoy!

After eating MANY different types of brownies over my 21 years I can safely conclude that this brownie recipe is the best you can get.  These brownies have a soft and gooey centre with a crisp outer layer.  Perfect for a teatime treat!

Prep time:  20 minutes

Ingredients:

50g dark chocolate
175g margarine
350g caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or essence
3 eggs
125g plain flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder
50g cocoa

Method:

• Preheat your oven to Gas Mark 4

• Get a 22 x 30 x 2.5 cm (9 x 12 x 1 in) oblong tin and line with greaseproof paper or baking parchment.  Grease the paper with margarine using a paper towel.

• Put the margarine into a pan and melt over a low heat.  Pour it into a mixing bowl, then add the sugar and vanilla.

• Add the eggs one at a time and beat in well

• Sift the flour into the bowl and add the baking powder and the cocoa.  Stir everything together so that it is mixed well.

• Break the dark chocolate into small pieces and use a sharp knife to cut into small shards.  Add them to the mixture and stir it well again.

• Pour the mixture into the tin and smooth the top with the back of a spoon.

• Bake for 40 minutes

• The brownies are ready when they have risen and a crust has formed on top.  They should still be soft in the middle.

• Leave the brownies in the tin for 5 minutes, then cut them into squares.  Leave them on a wire rack to cool.

‘A cocktail in a cake’.

Love Margaritas?  Give this tequila and lime cheesecake recipe a go.

On a recent visit to the USA I became a huge fan of the Cheesecake Factory.  I thought I’d try my hand at cheesecake making to fill the cheesecake-shaped gap in my life, since the Cheesecake Factory, sadly, does not have a UK branch *sob sob*.

This recipe is one I concocted myself, after some experimenting.  It is quick and easy to make and features a blend of flavours ranging from lime, ginger, and a hint of tequila, that blend together like a perfect Margarita cocktail. Deeeeelish.

Overall time needed: 30 minutes (note: needs to set overnight)

Ingredients:

• 7 digestive biscuits
• 4 ginger biscuits
• 50g butter, melted
• 25g caster sugar
• 150ml double cream
• 397g can full-fat condensed milk
• 175g full-fat cream cheese (room temperature)
• 3 tablespoons tequila
• grated zest and juice of 4 limes
• ½ lime, thinly sliced, to decorate

Method:

• To make the biscuit base crush the digestive and ginger biscuits into tiny crumbs.  A good way of doing this is to place the biscuits in a sandwich bag and beat with a rolling pin. (Effective therapy for anyone with anger issues too!)

• Melt the butter and sugar in a saucepan over a low heat and add the crushed biscuits to the pan.  Stir until thoroughly mixed.

• Turn the biscuit mixture into a 20cm (8in) circular loose-bottomed baking tin and press firmly and evenly over the bottom of the tin using the back of a metal spoon. Chill for 30 minutes in the fridge until set.

• Make the filling: place the double cream, condensed milk and cream cheese in a bowl with lime zests.  A tip for zesting the limes – use a cheese grater if you don’t have a zesting tool.  Mix thoroughly.

• Gradually mix in the lime juice and tequila and continue mixing until the mixture thickens.

• Pour the filling into the baking tin on top of the biscuit base and spread evenly using a spatula.

• Cover with Clingfilm and chill overnight.  Then, your cheesecake will be ready to devour! Enjoy.