Bluberry,Lemon and Honey Flapjacks...

We have had gorgeous weather the last couple weeks, perfect for sitting outside in the afternoons or spending the day in the garden. These flapjacks are delicious and a lovely treat with a cup of tea, especially after a day spent gardening.

Ingredients

600g porridge oats

250ml honey

250g blueberries

200ml coconut oil

zest of 1 lemon

Method

1. Heat the coconut oil and honey till melted.
2. Once melted add the oats and blueberries and mix gently till combined.
3. Place in a baking tray and bake in the oven at 180 for 20 min or until lightly golden on top.
4. Once baked leave to cool. Cut into squares with a sharp knife .

The sweet honey is cut by the subtle lemon flavour and sharp blueberries and is the perfect combination of crispy and chewy.

Speculaas Bundt Cake...

 

 Speculaas is not entirely new to me and actually brings back very fond memories of travelling through Belgium with two of my favourite people in the world.

 

 

The  'Speculaas flavour' is becoming more and more popular and It's biscuit spread, Speculoos is even tipped off to be the next Nutella. The flavour is  based on a traditional shortcrust biscuit made around Christmas in the Netherlands and Belgium.        

 

 

The Speclaas spice I have used in this recipe is special and that's because of where it comes from, The Speculaas Spice Company.
Steven created this little taste of the Netherlands based on fond memories and old family recipes.

"The Vandotsch Speculaas is a spice mix of nine organic spices that delivers deliciously warm, sweet and spicy ‘layers’ of taste taking any simple cinnamon taste to another level. "  

It can be used in so many recipes, some of which you can actually pick up off their websites blog . I although tempted to try and bake the traditional biscuits, decided to bake a cake using this wonderful spice.

 



 

Ingredients

The cake

200g Butter

200g Sugar

200g Flour

1 tsp Baking powder

2 tsp Speculaas Spice

4 eggs, beaten

 

Icing

1/2 Cup icing sugar

a little milk

1/2 tsp Speculaas spice

 

Method

1. Cream your butter and sugar together then add your eggs one by one, mixing between each one.

2. Mix in your dry ingredients until all combined.

3. Prepare a bundt tin and then poor in your cake mixture. Tap the tin against the counter to ake sure its even.

4.Bake in the oven at 170 until cooked through and your skewer comes out clean. About 30min. Leave to cool completely.

5. Remove cake from the tin and then prepare your icing. If I am honest when it comes to icing like this I just wing it as exact measurements can vary when it comes to 'your' favoured consistency. But once you have got your icing how you want it and its nice and dribbely...dribble over your cake in a arty way ;)

 

This cake is FABULOUS with a cup of tea.

This cake and spice is something I will make and use over again as its delicious and because it reminds me of travelling with friends and one of my favourite places to visit the Netherlands. Which funny enough is where I am off to in the morning...in an hour to be exact. Better get moving...

 

PLEASE make sure to get your hands on this delicious spice mix and of course share your recipe. Hope you all have a fabulous week and I will post more deliciousness when I am back.

 

you can purchase the spice here .

 

Recipe - mine

Dairy Free Pear and Honey Banana Bread...

Today it has rained all day making it a bit of a midweek duvet day watching films, the cooking channel and Come Dine With Me. In between watching all that and entertaining a slightly poorly toddler I decided to do some baking and thanks to a bunch of rather blackened bananas and no butter I ended up with a dairy free banana bread, a recipe I will use over and over again as it was super yummy and one that can be tweaked to your own taste or mood very easily.

Ingredients

Dry
1 1/2 cups wholemeal flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
Wet
3 small/medium blackened bananas, mashed
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup honey
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
a little water
Extra
I used 1 pear diced and brown sugar for added crunch but you could use raisins, pineapple, chocolate chips, what ever takes your fancy.

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 170 C. In a large bowl whisk your wet ingredients together. Holding back the water.
2. Once combined slowly add your dry ingredients and mix together using a spatula or wooden spoon.
3. Add your pear, or chosen extra, and fold in lightly. Sometimes coating it lightly in flour can help stop it sinking to the bottom. If the batter seems a bit thick you can add the water.
4. Once all mixed, spoon into a prepared loaf tin. I used a little coconut oil. I then sprinkled brown sugar on top.
5. Bake in the oven for 50 - 60 minutes. Once cooked leave to cool in the loaf tin for 10 or so minutes and then turn it out and leave to cool completely before slicing. Top Tip - make sure to use a bread knife.

 

To make my loaf look that little bit tastier I decorated it with a drizzle of honey, honey roasted pinenuts and little roses that I made using the skin of the banana's.

 

For the honey roasted pinenuts I just sprinkled some pinenuts on a baking tray and drizzled them with honey. I then popped them in a hot oven for a few minutes making sure to keep and eye on them so they don't burn. I then left them to cool. Once cooled I scraped them off the baking tray,  this brakes them up slightly but also leaves you with a few whole ones.

 

This banana bread comes out lovely and moist and to be honest would actually be amazing served warm with a glug of custard. A perfect rainy day blues cure, especially with a cup of tea or coffee.

Hope you are all having an amazing week so far.

Sweet Potato Cake with Honey and Cinnomon Icing...

 

 As I'm sure you all know by now sometimes I just feel like baking and today I had the urge to and not for cookies this time but cake and a good cake! One I hadn't made before.

Baking is one thing I really would love to do more but with me it can be a dangerous downward spiral when it comes to staying on plan (Slimming World) But everyone needs a treat once in awhile and baking cake is not only a treat for the tummy but a treat for the soul too. Creating something delicious and pretty from scratch is something that makes me smile from the inside and out, definitely worth the 25 syns a slice :/ ...whoops...I may have had 3...

This recipe is based on a carrot cake recipe and has a similar texture and taste.

Ingredients

2 cups mashed sweet potato
1 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
8 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. oil
2 cups light brown sugar
2 1/2 cups of flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
pinch salt
heaped tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
tsp. freshly grated ginger

icing - standard vanilla butter cream with a tbsp. honey and a tsp. cinnamon.

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 180 and prepare two round cake tins. Then in a large bowl mix together your dry ingredients and set aside.
2. In another bowl cream together your sugar, butter, oil, vanilla, ginger and eggs. Beating in one egg at a time. hen mix in your sweet potato.
3. Add in the dry ingredients 1 1/3 at a time.

4. Once combined divide into your prepared cake tins and bake in the oven for 30 -35 min or until a skewer comes out clean. The smell from your oven is AMAZING!!
5. Leave to cool completely in the tins and then remove, even off the tops and ice.
6. Decorate with what ever you fancy. I used some pretty flowers from the garden. I was thinking of honeycomb but my attempt to make it was disastrous he he

This cake is perfect with a cup of tea and would be great at any occasion. You know it would even be nice warm with some cinnamon icecream and a drizzle of honey... omg drooling... next bbq, that's desert!
See what I mean...downward spiral lol...

And there you have it an urge for good cake fulfilled and shared. Hope you all had a fabulous weekend and are ready for a great week!

A cake so good you just go straight in, no hands needed ;)

recipe - mine

syns - 25 per slice ...SORRY!

Easter - Orange and Marmalade Hot Cross buns...

Happy Easter my fabulous readers! Easter is a very celebrated day in my household not only on this day, Christian Easter Sunday but also in May for Greek Orthodox Easter.

Today however we will celebrate Christian Easter, which is a festival and holiday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. And for my little man it means the Easter bunny and LOTS of chocolate he he...

Last year I celebrated by baking a delicious Easter Loaf but this year I thought id stick to something more traditional but still giving it my own twist, Orange and Marmalade Hotcross buns are based on a traditional recipe but have added orange zest and a glaze of marmalade and honey which gives them a lovely citrus flavour with a bitter sweet glaze.

Ingredients

for buns
625g strong white flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp mixed spice
50g cold butter, cubed
85g sugar
zest of 1 large orange
1 1/2 tsp fast action yeast
1 egg, beaten
275ml room temp milk
125g mixed dried fruit.

for glaze
1 tsp marmalade
1tsp honey
heated slightly

for cross
2 tbsp flour
2 tbsp water

Method

1. For the buns, sieve the flour, salt and ground mixed spice into a large mixing bowl, then rub in the butter using your fingertips. Make a well in the centre of the mixture, then add the sugar and orange zest and yeast.

2. Add the beaten egg to the flour with the milk. Mix together to a form a soft dough.

3. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Carefully work the mixed dried fruit into the dough until well combined. Knead lightly for 5 minutes, or until smooth and elastic.

4. Butter a large mixing bowl then shape the dough into a ball and place it into the prepared bowl. Cover with a clean tea towel and set aside in a warm place for one hour to prove.

5. After an hour turn out the proved dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knock back the dough. Shape it into a ball again and return it to the bowl, then cover again with the tea towel and set aside for a further 30 minutes to rise. I didn't say this was a quick process ;)

6. After the 30 min turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and divide it into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, then flatten slightly into a bun shape using the palms of your hands. Cover the buns again with the tea towel and set aside to rest for 5-10 minutes. Mine were slightly irregular as I had little hands helping...

7. Grease a baking tray with butter and transfer the buns to the tray. I used a large cheesecake tin to get the round shape. Wrap the tray with the buns on it loosely in greaseproof paper, then place inside a large polythene bag. Tie the end of the bag tightly so that no air can get in and set aside in a warm place for a further 40 minutes to rise and treat yourself to a tea or coffee while you wait...again!

8. Preheat the oven to 240C.

9. For the cross, mix the in flour into to a smooth paste with 2 tablespoons of cold water.

10. When the buns have risen, remove the polythene bag and the greaseproof paper. Spoon the flour mixture into a piping bag and pipe a cross on each bun.

11. Put the buns into the oven and bake for 8-12 minutes, or until pale golden-brown. As soon as you remove the buns from the oven, brush them with the heated marmalade and honey mixture, then set aside to cool on a wire rack.

Serve as they are or toasted with a good dollop of softened butter.

These are super tasty and are a great treat on this special day!

recipe - my own

syns - 10+ per serving

Earl Grey and Milk Biscuits...

 

I love having random inspired bakes, this one came to me when I opened the tea/coffee cupboard and saw my OH Earl Grey tea stash and thought hmmm I bet he would like that in biscuit form! :)

And with that thought the Earl Grey and Milk biscuit was born...

the first baby dafs in my garden

 

These biscuits follow a basic shortbread recipe but have a little added milk and of course Earl Grey tea leaves.





Ingredients

2 cups of flour
5 - 6 bags of Earl Grey tea (depending on taste), just tear open the bag.
1 cup butter
dash of milk
pinch salt
3/4 icing sugar
tsp vanilla extract

Method

1. Mix your flour with the tea leaves and then add in the rest of the dry ingredients.
2. Add the butter and bring together with your fingers. When its starts to come together add your vanilla and milk. This will help it form a dough.
3. Once together place on your work surface and form into a sausage shape. Don't over knead it.
4. Wrap in cling film and twist each side firmly. Chill in the fridge for 15 - 20 minutes.
5. Preheat your oven to 180. Remove your biscuit dough from the fridge, remove the cling film and cut into disks. Place on a baking tray.
6. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until the edges start to golden slightly. Remove from the oven and leave to cook on the baking tray.

 

These biscuits are lovely and short but with the added milk still have a bit bite to them. The Earl Grey flavour really comes through giving you a lovely citrusy after taste. Great for afternoon tea!

recipe - my own

syns - hmmm must work it out!

Fairy Bites...

Today I was visited by an old school friend that I haven't seen in years. I obviously had to bake something to celebrate this wonderful visit! :)

I wanted to bake something cute and tasty and after browsing Pinterest last night was inspired by these cute little shortbread cookies and just had to have ago at myself. As usual I gave them my own little twist and flavoring. (They are a lighter version too..woohoo)

Ingredients

1/2 cup light butter, softened
1 1/4 cup flour
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp sweetener (you can of course just use sugar)
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
GOOD sprinkle of 100s and 1000s (try get the very bright ones if you can as mine faded slightly)

Method

1. Cream the butter and sugar together and then mix in the Vanilla.
2. Combine with the flour and salt and then sprinkle in your 100's and 1000's.
3. Using you hands bring together to form a ball of dough.
4. On a floured surface press out the dough, you want it to be about 1/2 cm thick. Then using a cutter cut out your cookies. ( you can also bake it as one sheet and then cut into cubes.)
5. Place the cookies on a lined or greased and floured baking tray and bake for 15 minutes.
6. Once done leave to cool completely.

These cookies are deliciously crumbly and the 100's and 1000's add a little bit of texture and colour. They would be a fabulous treat at a little girls tea party or even given as a gift in a pretty jar.

Strawberry milk is optional but always a winner in my book :)

recipe - inspired by pinterest but mine

syns - around 3 syns each

Apple and Cinnamon Crisps...

The leaves are slowly turning and apples are at the plenty, how could I not be inspired to make something Autumnly delicious... yes Autumnly is a word - to me anyway.

I am always on the look out for healthy yet delicious snacks as I am a massive grazer, and although these do count as syns on Slimming World, they still tick all the boxes. Not to mention how easy they are to make.

Ingredients

2 -3 apples, sliced thinly and cores removed. I used a cute cutter.

1 tsp of sugar/sweetener

1 tsp cinnamon

baking paper

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 100C. You want to bake them slow and steady.

2. Place your sliced apple in a bowl and sprinkle with the sugar and cinnamon. Gently toss with your hands to coat the apple slices.

3. Place on a lined baking tray and pop in the oven. Bake for 2 hours or so, you want them to be soft/cooked through but crispy.

4. Once done leave to cool completely. This will crisp them up even more.

Serve as a snack or even along side some Cinnamon ice cream for desert. They would be great over Christmas time too.

This picture is actually my second batch as the first one was eaten before I could get a photo! Yes they that yummy!

The crisps will last up to a week in an airtight container.

recipe - mine

syns - 3-4 per 25g as the apples are baked.

Gooey Chewy Mocha Cookie Sandwich...

Happy Sunday my lovely foodies and readers. Today's recipe is a disaster turned triumph he he .
I began wanting to make whoopie pies but then realised I had no eggs and with two unsuccessful trips to the neighbors I decided to just wing it and see how things turned out...as you do sometimes.

While cooking things looked good but when they came out of the oven they went pretty flat so I called them cookies! Yummy ones too I must say. Most people would give up, maybe start again when they have eggs but me i carried on and made 'lemonade out of lemons' and I am now sharing my disaster recipe with you all! he he

Ingredients

cookies
500g softened butter
140g caster sugar
tsp vanilla
135g self raising flour
5g cocoa
1/2 tsp baking powder
4 tbsp milk

if you wanting to make whoopie pies add two eggs, beaten and use 2 tbsp of milk rather then 4.

filling
125g softened butter
1/2 vanilla
250g icing sugar
1 tsp coffee in a tbsp of water

Method

1.Cream butter,sugar and vanilla. ( you would now add the eggs after mixing for 5 minutes)
2. Into a sieve add your flour, cocoa and baking powder. Sieve and then combine with the butter mixture. Use the milk to loosen.
3. Place a dollop on a baking tray, leaving a good space between them as they will spread. ( or a whoopie pie tin)
4. bake in a preheated oven at 170C for 10 - 15 minutes. Once baked leave to cool.
5. For the icing combine your butter, vanilla, icing sugar and coffee. you want it to be thick.
6. Once cooled,sandwich your cookies with a good dollop of icing. Sprinkle with icing sugar and enjoy with a nice cup of tea or coffee.

They are super yum even if they were a mistake!

 I will post the real whoopie pie recipe when I can and have eggs. :) Although I have added bits in that would have been the correct recipe.

And with that I will say good bye and go an enjoy my cookie sandwich with a cup of tea while the small boy sleeps...FINALLY!!!!

recipe - mine

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes...

So this just happened and has totally made my day!! They are so pretty and so delicious!

These beauties are not from my own recipe but the lovely Floral Frosting's and taken from the wonderful Lemon Freckles new Zine Lemonmade.

Unfortunately I am not going to share the recipe with you, as I want you all to head over to Charis's blog or get your hands on Toni's fabulous Zine for it!

Instead I will share some photos and hope they inspire you to give them a go, you wont regret it!!!