Gluten Free Creme Egg Brownie

I have been trying to eat less wheat and gluten in my diet, it doesn't agree with me and makes me feel lethargic and to be honest not that great. I do however love cake so have been trying hard to find recipes for gluten free cakes that taste great, are easy to make and will also be eaten by family too.

These brownies are great on their own but with the addition of creme eggs make the perfect easter treat, pretty certain the addition of anything else chocolate related would be great.

Ingredients:

225g Unsalted Butter
225g Dark Chocolate (70% minimum)
3 Medium eggs
200g Caster Sugar ( I use golden)
1tsp Vanilla Essence
175g Ground Almonds
Creme Eggs, mixture of full size and mini or just full size if you prefer, cut in half.

Method:

1. Pre heat the oven to 170°C, line a 23cm square baking tin with tin foil or baking parchment.

2. Break up the chocolate and cut the butter into small squares, place in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water and heat until melted, set aside to cool a little.

3. Whilst the chocolate mixture cools, beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla essence together until it is smooth and creamy in texture, you can use a hand whisk for this.

4. Once whisked, slowly pour the chocolate into the egg mixture and keep stirring, you can use a spatular to do this, folding in the chocolate and egg until combined.

5. Fold in the ground almonds until completely combined and then pour into the lined baking tin.

6. Place the creme eggs equally over the top of the brownie, best to think about how you are going to be cutting it up into pieces.

7 Place in the centre of the oven for around 25-30 minutes, it should be set on top and a skewer or sharp knife inserted into the middle should come out with a little of the mixture attached to it. It will continue to cook in the tin and you want it nice and gooey so don't leave until it is too dry.

8. Using the tin foil you should be able to lift out of the tin without too much effort, whilst it is still warm use a knife to cut into squares.

These gooey and tasty brownies make the perfect treat and are great for any creme egg lovers, served warm with a scoop of ice cream or simply with a cup of tea.

Please note the ingredients I used were all checked to be gluten free, please ensure you do the same.

Bakewell Tart Cupcakes

I love anything almond flavoured, my gran used to make the most beautiful almond buttercream when I was younger.  It is this that inspired my Victoria Sponge with a Bakewell Tart twist, something that is a regular amongst my cake repertoire.

So I decided to adapt the recipe into cupcake form for National Cupcake Week and as my entry into the Betta Living #bettabakeoff.

Ingredients (Makes 9-12 depending on cupcake case size. I used baking cups which are a bit bigger so only got 9 you can always double up the cake recipe):

For the cakes:
100g Self Raising Flour
100g Golden Caster Sugar
100g Margarine
2 Eggs
1/2 teaspoon almond extract.

For the icing:
500g Icing Sugar sieved
160g Unsalted Butter softened
1-1 ½ teaspoons of Almond Extract, add more/less depending on your taste
1-5 tablespoons milk

To decorate:
100g Raspberry Jam
25g Flaked almonds

Cake method:

1. Heat the oven to 180c/160c fan

2. Line a muffin tray with 12 cases or baking cups.

3. Place all of the ingredients (SR Flour, Sugar, Margaine, Eggs & Almond Extract) in an electric mixer and mix until smooth, alternatively if you don't have one then cream the sugar and margarine together until smooth, add in the egg a bit at a time and mix well, add in the almond extract and then add the flour and mix until is smooth and everything is combined.

2. Fill each of the baking cups or cases to about half way with the mixture, be careful not to overfill.

3. Place the tray on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes or until cooked. To check if the cakes are cooked place a skewer in the middle of one of the cakes and it should come out clean.

4. Once cooked remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack.

For the Icing:

1. Mix the icing sugar and butter until combined, add in the almond extract and then a tablespoon of milk at a time until smooth and is the consistency of meringue (you should be able to make peaks).

2. Once mixed, place the mixture in a piping bag with your nozzle of choice, I am using a round nozzle but you could use a star if you prefer.

To build the cakes:

1. Once the cakes are cooled using a knife carefully cut a circle from your cake, should be about the size of a 10p piece and about 1-1.5cm deep. (NB leave a good edge between the edge of the circle and the edge of the cupcake, you can either eat the left overs or use in cake pops)

2. Place a teaspoon of jam into the whole and then pipe a swirl of butter cream on top.

3. If using sprinkle some flaked almonds on top of the swirl, if you have children who aren't keen on them then just leave the flaked almonds off.

Pour yourself a cuppa and enjoy, these are so light and would make the perfect accompaniment to an afternoon tea or picnic.

This is my entry into the Betta Living #bettabakeoff, more details can be found here.

Overnight Oats

Over on Instagram overnight oats are all over the place and it isn't hard to see why, they are full of fibre and keep you fuller for longer.

I have been adding lots of seeds and nuts for essential fatty acids including Omega 3, including chia seed and then a mix seed sprinkle which has pumpkin, sunflower, linseed and sesame seeds as well as some almonds.

To that I have been adding some cacao and honey and mixing with almond milk, then in the morning adding some raspberries.

I have been using oat bran, this stuff is really finely milled but you could use just your standard porridge oats or rolled oats.

Oatbran, really high in fibre

Add in the mixed seeds

Chia seed and almonds

Add in the almond milk and honey and stir

Leave in the fridge overnight and voila...

Serve in the morning with a few extra seeds or fruit

You can add in what you like, if you fancy dried fruit add this in, banana, strawberries anything goes really.

I really like these cold oats, I do sometimes microwave for about 20 seconds to take the edge of the coldness or take out a short while before I want to eat them. But it is entirely up to you, they are really tasty and I have even got my husband hooked now.

Victoria Sponge with a Bakewell Tart Twist

I asked the hubby what he fancied for pudding a few weeks ago and he said Victoria Sponge, I decided to try something a little different that would incorporate my favourite buttercream!

This stems back from the days when my gran baked, she made the best buttercream and although this isn't patch on hers it is still very yummy.

You will need to make two basic sponge cakes, I just pop all the ingredients in an electric mixer and blitz till smooth.

Sponge:

150g Margarine
150g Self Raising Flour
150g Golden Caster Sugar
3 Eggs

1. Add all of the ingredients into an electric mixer and blend until  smooth.
2. Split the mixture into two 7inch tins and bake for 20-25
3. Leave to cool

Spread with Jam, I chose my favourite Bonne Maman Raspberry Jam and then here is my favourite part, the butter cream!!

Butter Cream

250g Icing Sugar Sifted
80g Softened Unsalted Butter
25ml Whole Milk
1-3 Teaspoons Almond Extract (depending on how almond flavoured you like it, add one tsp at a time)

I always spread the jam on and then pipe on the buttercream, just as it is easier, less mess and looks pretty from the side.  Otherwise just spread the jam on the upper side and the buttercream on other half and then sandwich together.

Et voila, a Victoria Sponge with a Bakewell Tart Twist