Sunday 24 May 2015

Rhubarb Crumble Recipe



Okay, I need to step my game up again... but I have valid reasons end of term = deadlines and exams. Coming home for the weekend I was a little unprepared regarding what to bake for the blog this week. So finding a blue bag in the fridge destined what to bake this week... in the blue bag was rhubarb. The rhubarb came from my grandparents garden (everyone *awhhh*) and after hearing the amazing 'Crumble song' from Britain's got Talent last week I had to go ahead and make a humble crumble! So this week it is of course 
Rhubarb Crumble!


The lyrics for the crumble song go a little like... 'everybody's good at cooking something, and I'm good at cooking crumble' so you can sing that to yourself and you too will be good at cooking crumble... so get cooking! 

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I also added some jumbo oats into the crumble topping to give it some extra crunch and just because I like oats. I apologise for the very poor quality photos, I promise next week I will up my game!



So for a simple, easy and very affordable pud, here is the how to

Ingredients
  • 500g Rhubarb
  • 100g Golden caster sugar
  • 120g Self-raising flour
  • 40g Jumbo oats (optional, or any oats)
  • 50g Light brown soft sugar
  • 70g Butter

Method
  1. Wash and cut the rhubarb into small lengths and add to a pan with the sugar. 
  2. On a low heat stir until the sugar has melted.
  3. Place a lid on the pan and allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes until the rhubarb has softened but still holding its shape. 
  4. Pour the rhubarb into a medium sized baking dish.
  5. Preheat fan oven to 180 Degrees C.
  6. In a mixing bowl, add the flour and butter and rub together until you get a crumbly mixture. 
  7. Mix in the sugar and oats.
  8. Place on top of the rhubarb and cook in the oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
  9. Serve with your choice or custard, cream or ice cream! (Or on its own) 


Sunday 17 May 2015

White Chocolate Brownies (Blondies) Recipe


I hope this week none of you were expecting too much of a healthy bake... as yeah it's really not healthy at all, but that's not to say you're not allowed it! Everyone is allowed a treat and to eat what they like in moderation, too much of anything can be a bad thing! 
So this week let's get straight to it, I have for you White Chocolate Brownies or as a lot of people call them 'Blondies' however, many of my friends have had to ask what blondies are... so I'm just going to stick with white chocolate brownies!




The photos don't do these much justice, I have had four pieces since writing this up... I think four? maybe five... definitely enough!! They are so fudge-y, buttery and chocolatey, you will not be disappointed when you try one! Just imagine your favourite fudge-y, chewy brownie... but tasting of white chocolate instead of milk chocolate. Now you want to bake them right?!



I doubt these are going to stay around for long, not with my consumption anyway... maybe another batch is in order! I hope you enjoy these as much as myself! 

Don't forget to check out my instagram and tag any of your bakes - @fashionablebake

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Ingredients

  • 200g White chocolate 
  • 150g Unsalted butter
  • 150g Golden caster sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 Tsp Vanilla extract
  • 1/4 Tsp Salt
  • 160g Plain flour
  • 50g White chocolate chips


Method

  1. Preheat a fan oven to 180 Degrees C. Line and greaseproof a baking tray (the one I used was 7 inches by 11 inches so anything near that is fine).
  2. In a pan, slowly melt the white chocolate and butter. 
  3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla.
  4. Pour the melted butter and chocolate into the mixing bowl and whisk until combined.
  5. In a separate bowl weigh out the flour. Sift into the mixture and mix in. Once mixed, gently stir in the chocolate chips. 
  6. Pour the mixture into your baking tray and bake in the oven for 20 - 25 minutes (test with a cake tester or sharp knife)
  7. Allow the brownies to cool completely in the tray before cutting into pieces and eating!




Sunday 10 May 2015

Oreo Cupcake Recipe


Hello again! I hope you enjoyed last weekend’s post of a healthier bake. It seemed to get a lot of appreciation on my social media channels. I do think I will be baking some healthier treats as I am into my fitness and healthy eating… but of course I do like to indulge in something that is not so healthy. So this week, I have taken an idea from when I have made these bad boy’s before but have created my own recipe for… 

OREO CUPCAKES!

If you bake these, don’t tell your friends what is in them and then you can call them ‘Oreo surprise cupcakes’ but as I’m giving you the how to then they won’t be much of a surprise to you!

These Oreo cupcakes are the perfect treat for any Oreo lover, even my flatmate who was never an Oreo fan has been converted!

Let’s take a little look…



A whole Oreo in the bottom, yes that’s right! Why not ey!? These are far from healthy, but oh my, they are yummy (if I do say so myself!) They are so simple to make, yet look pretty darn good!




So let’s break this cupcake down… We have a whole Oreo at the bottom, a tasty chocolate, moist sponge covered with Oreo biscuit butter icing and finished with half an Oreo. Can’t get much ‘Oreo’d’ than that! So if you fancy making these then here is the how to!

Enjoy!

Don’t forget to share your own bakes on Instagram and tag @fashionablebake!

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Ingredients

Cupcakes (makes 12)
  • 125g Unsalted butter (room temp)
  • 125g Caster sugar
  • 2 Medium eggs
  • 1 Tbsp Milk
  • 100g Plain flour
  • 25g Cocoa powder
  • 1 ½ Tsp Baking powder
  • ½ Tsp Vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt
  • 12 Oreos


Icing
  • 150g Unsalted butter (room temp)
  • 300g Icing sugar
  • Milk
  • Approx 100g of Oreo biscuits
  • 6 Oreo's halved for the top


Method
  1. Preheat a fan assisted oven to 180 degrees C.
  2. Line a cupcake tray with cupcake cases and in the bottom of each case, place an oreo.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. A little at a time, whisk the eggs and milk in followed by the vanilla extract.
  4. In a separate bowl weigh out the flour, cocoa and sieve into the wet mixture along with the baking powder and salt. Fold until all the mixture is combined.
  5. Spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases, the mixture should fill the cases to about ¾ the way up.
  6. Place in the oven on the middle shelf for 15-18 minutes, when cooked a cake tester should come out clean and the cupcakes should spring back when pressed.
  7. Allow to cool before icing.
  8. For the icing, separate Oreos taking out the filling with a knife, you will need approximately 100g of Oreo biscuit
  9. Place the biscuits in a bag and bash with a rolling pin until you have fine crumbs (or you may use a food processor if you prefer) when you have your crushed Oreos, mix in to the butter and icing sugar.
  10. Pipe or spread your icing onto each cupcakes. Finish each cupcake with half an Oreo on the top (optional).




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Sunday 3 May 2015

Banana Coconut Cream Pie Recipe



May I introduce to you a HEALTHY(er) bake
(which is technically a no bake)...
Banana Coconut Cream Pie 




For those of you wanting a treat but not wanting all the added calories of sugar and ingredients you can’t actually pronounce, this is perfect for you! (As long as you like and can eat the ingredients that are used)

(I may add that the icing sugar isn't exactly healthy... but there's not a lot of it if you were to calculate it per portion)

Eating a ‘healthy’ labelled or 'low calorie' dessert doesn’t always mean it has actual health benefits or much in it that’s actually any good to your health. For example, if something is labelled ‘low fat’ then it’s probably got quite a few added teaspoons of sugar in instead to replace the taste of the fat taken out. So, yes you may not be consuming as many calories… but you’re consuming more sugar than something that hasn’t had the fat taken out, I won’t go into it but I’m sure most of you are aware that sugar is not something you want to be eating a lot of! (And something I’ve learnt myself over time is that fat is not all that bad for you as long as you’re eating the right fats and not the fats in processed foods)

So having said that, I will go through some of the ingredients in this bake and why they are better for you than the typical ‘low fat’ desserts you will find on the shelves in the supermarket!




Quark is such a great alternative to your regular soft cheese, it is low in fat and sugar! However it doesn’t have that creamy cheese flavour as your bog standard cream cheese but that doesn’t matter for this dessert as we are adding other flavours to it.

The dates and walnuts used for the base are a great alternative to a biscuit and butter base (and perfect for those gluten intolerant). Walnuts are packed with Omega 3 fatty acids and they contain antioxidants that boost heart health. Dates are rich in dietary fibre and are also an excellent source of iron and potassium.

Bananas, I’m sure you all know bananas are healthy but a few benefits you may or may not know. They too are a great source of potassium, they help with the production of white blood cells and can also help aid digestion.

Dark chocolate, yes that’s right CHOCOLATE! But in moderation, a couple of squares of dark chocolate is great for satisfying that chocolatey tooth! Dark chocolate contains antioxidants (the 70% cocoa + stuff), so the higher the cocoa content the better it is for your health… in moderation.




Ingredients
  • 100g Dates
  • 150g Walnuts
  • 300g Quark
  • 2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 2 Tsp Vanilla Essence
  • 50g Icing sugar 
  • 60g Desiccated Coconut
  • 3 Ripe bananas
  • Dark chocolate for decorating(optional)

Method

  1. Soak your dates in a bowl of warm water for 10-15 minutes.
  2. Whilst the dates are soaking, line a cake tin (or you could use a baking tray) with greaseproof paper.
  3. Drain the water and add the dates and walnuts to a food processor and blitz.
  4. Once well blitzed, spoon out on to your tin/tray and even out with a fork and press down, place in the fridge.
  5. In a mixing bowl whisk the quark for 2-3 minutes. Then add the lemon juice, vanilla extract, desiccated coconut, one banana, icing sugar and whisk until all combined.
  6. Slice up the remaining two bananas and place on the walnut and date base.
  7. Pour the coconut mix on top, leaving a little room around the edges.
  8. Leave to set in the fridge for at least 3 hours.
  9. Finish with sprinkling on desiccated coconut and grated dark chocolate (optional). 



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