Banoffee Cupcakes

A fantastic recipe making use of my favourite flavour combination - banana and toffee. What really makes it is the rich caramel filling right in the middle. If you don't want to make the caramel sauce though, you can always buy some. Quantities were a bit weird; this ended up making about 36 mini cupcakes, and probably would make about 18-20 normal sized cupcakes.

 Ingredients

For the Cakes

225g Plain Flour

1tsp Baking Powder

1/2tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

115g Butter, Softened

170g Caster Sugar

1tsp Vanilla Bean Paste

2 Eggs, Beaten, and at room temperature

3 Bananas, very ripe, mashed

For the Caramel Sauce

125g Caster Sugar

71ml Double Cream

25g Butter

Liquid Glucose

For the Mascarpone Icing

133g Mascarpone Cheese

73g Full Fat Cream Cheese

1/2tsp Vanilla Paste

300g Icing Sugar

Banana Chips (Optional)

Chocolate Decorations (Optional)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/350F, and grease or line some muffin trays. Beat the butter and the sugar for the cake mix in a freestanding mixer until the mix is cream-coloured. Add the vanilla paste and mix, and then gradually add the beaten eggs, making sure to mix thoroughly between each addition.

2. Fold in the mashed bananas, and then sieve in the dry ingredients and fold them in. Fill the cupcake holes/cases 2/3 the way full, and bake in the oven for 25 minutes, or unitl a skewer placed in the middle of one comes out clean. Place onto a wire rack to cool.

3. While the cakes are baking, make the caramel sauce by adding the sugar and 2tbsp water to a saucepan, and stirring on a low heat until all the sugar has dissolved. Then turn the heat to medium-high, and bring the mixture to boil, adding a squirt of liquid glucose to ensure it doesn't crystallise. 

4. Leave the mix boiling until a caramel colour is achieved, but be careful not to burn it, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from the heat as soon as you have the right colour, and stir in the cream and butter. Leave to cool completely.

5. While waiting for the cakes and sauce to cool, make the icing. Beat the cheeses in a mixer until smooth and light, then add the vanilla paste, and sieve in the icing sugar a quarter at a time, beating slow at first each time to make sure icing sugar doesn't get everywhere. Add a teaspoon or two of the caramel sauce if you want.

Mix until well incorporated and at a consistency you like. If too thick, add a small bit of milk, and if too loose, add more icing sugar.

6. To assemble the cupcakes, cut a circle into the top of each cupcake with a knife, careful not to go too deep, and cut a small hole, taking out a small cylinder of cake. Remove the bottom part of the cylinder, so you have a small cap for each of the holes, and using a piping bag or a squeezy bottle, fill each hole with caramel sauce, and place the cap on top.

7. Place the icing into a piping bag with a nozzle of your choice, and pipe on to the cupcake. Alternatively spread it on with a palette knife. Finish with banana chips and/or chocolate decorations and a drizzle of caramel sauce.

Enjoy :)

Bhuna Gosht ('Bhuna' Lamb or Beef Curry)

Unlike many curries, this one isn't surrounded by lakes of sauce, rather a great aromatic, thick and punchy sauce. The recipe works great with beef or lamb, and I often like to use a beef off the bone, and lamb bones to enhance the flavour. Serves 4-6, and serve with chapatis or rice, and an onion relish of tomatoes, cucumber, onion, mint and coriander with a squeeze of lemon.

 Ingredients

Spice Mix

2tsp Whole Cumin Seeds

4tsp Whole Coriander Seeds

2tsp Whole Mustard Seeds

4 Whole, Dried Chillies

1tsp whole Caraway Seeds

2tsp Whole Fenugreek Seeds

Curry Ingredients

5tbsp Corn or Peanut Oil

140g Shallots, peeled and very finely chopped

4cm Fresh Ginger, peeled and very finely chopped

5-6 Cloves Garlic, peeled and very finely chopped

13 Curry Leaves, fresh if possible

2 Medium Tomatoes

900g Boneless Lamb or Stewing Beef, cut into 3cm pieces

1.5kg Lamb bones (just ask at the butcher; I often get them with a bit of meat on them) - optional

1.5tsp Salt

Method

1. Place a medium frying pan or skillet on a medium-high heat. When hot, add the spice mix, and stir on the heat until lightly browned and toasted. 

2. Using a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder, grind the spices to a powder, and set aside.

3. Before you start the curry, score an 'x' in the bottom of the tomatoes, and place in boiling water for about 30 seconds, and then remove, peel and chop.

4. Pour the oil into quite a large saucepan with a lid, and set over medium-high heat. Once heated, add the shallots, ginger and garlic and fry, stirring as you go along, for about 5 minutes or until the mix goes golden-brown. Add the curry leaves and tomatoes and cook on a lower heat until the tomatoes are reduced to a paste, stirring to make sure nothing sticks.

5. Stir in the spice mix, and cook for another minute before adding the meat, bones and salt, and cook on a medium-high heat to sear the meat. Add 250ml water, and bring to the boil, then turn down to a low heat to simmer. Cover the pan and cook for about 1.5 hours, or until the meat is tender (Lamb might take 1 hour 20 minutes, depending on preference).

6. Remove the lid, increase the heat to high, and stir continuously to reduce the sauce until the point where it's thick and clings to the meat. 

Enjoy :)

Lemon Meringue Pie Cupcakes

A nice twist on a classic dessert; these zesty cupcakes should blow your taste buds away. It's comprised of lemon cupcake, lemon curd, swiss meringue and a little biscuit. If you're lucky enough to have a blowtorch, then you can use it to finish the cupcakes, otherwise they will need to go under the grill. Makes 12 Cupcakes or 24 mini cupcakes.

 Ingredients

For the Lemon Cupcakes

100g Butter, Softened

200g Caster Sugar

4 tsp Lemon Zest

2 Eggs, Beaten and at Room Temperature

225g Self-Raising Flour

125ml Milk

For the Biscuits

112g Plain Flour

55g Butter, Cubed

40g Sugar

1/2 a Large Egg, Beaten

2 tsp Lemon Zest

For the Swiss Meringue

2 Egg Whites

125g Caster Sugar

Lemon Curd, Store-bought or homemade

Method

1.Start with the biscuits. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/350F, and line a baking tray. Place the flour, butter and sugar into a mixing bowl, and rub the butter in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

2. Mix in the lemon zest and the egg to form a dough, and wrap in clingfilm and chill for 20 minutes. After chilling, roll dough on a floured surface to about 1cm thickness, and using small cookie cutters or a knife (depending on the size of cupcakes you're making), cut out the biscuits, and place on the baking tray. 

3. Place the baking tray in the fridge for about 10 minutes to ensure the biscuits hold their shape, and then place in the oven for about 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Take out and cool on a wire rack, and keep the oven on.

4. For the cakes; grease/line cupcake trays, and cream the butter, sugar and lemon zest together in a freestanding or hand mixer until cream in colour, and then gradually add the beaten egg, mixing well after each addition, being careful not to add too much to make the mix curdle. 

5. Sieve 1/4 of the flour into the mix, and fold in with a large spoon. Add in 1/4 of the milk and do the same. Alternate between folding in flour and milk until finished, and then divide between cupcake holes. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean (beware - they are lighter than normal cupcakes, so be careful not to overbake). Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

6. In each of the cupcakes, cut a small cylinder out of the centre with a sharp knife, and cut of some of the bottom of the cylinder you have just cut out, to form almost a lid for the hole. Fill a piping bag with lemon curd, and using a fine nozzle, or a cut a small hole, and pipe the lemon curd into the cupcakes and cover with the 'lids'. 

7. For the meringue, set up a bain-marie by putting water in a saucepan, and keeping it at a temperature where it's not bubbling on the surface at all, but steaming. Place the egg whites and sugar in a plastic bowl, and place on top of the pan. Using an electric hand mixer, whisk, making sure to touch the bottom of the bowl. Once you start to see pretty defined waves created by the mixer, mix for about 2-3 minutes more, where you should have a pretty thick consistency that holds a peak. Take the bowl off the saucepan and leave to cool.

8. Using a piping bag with a star nozzle, or even a round one, pipe the meringue onto the cupcakes in any design you want. If you have a blowtorch, heat around the top of the cupcakes until browned as much as you want, otherwise place the cupcakes under the grill, keeping an eye on how brown they are getting. Once done, place a biscuit on top.

Enjoy :)

Carrot Cupcakes

The pineapple in these keep them moist, but also add a subtle 'tropical' flavour - perfect for those like me who are stuck in a country that thinks that it's winter during summer, so at least when it's raining, you can still pretend. Makes 12 cupcakes or 24 mini cupcakes. 

      

 Ingredients

For the Cakes

88g Plain Flour

1/2tsp Baking Powder

1/4tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

1/2tsp Ground Cinnamon

A Pinch of Salt

1 Large Egg

100g Caster Sugar

50ml Vegetable/Sunflower Oil

1/4tsp Vanilla Extract

1 Large Carrot, Peeled and Finely Grated

30g Tinned Pineapple, Drained and Finely Chopped

2tbsp Chopped Walnuts, Plus Extra for Decorating

For the Cream Cheese Icing

22g Unsalted Butter, Softened

120g Full Fat Cream Cheese

150g Approx. Icing Sugar

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan/Gas 4, and grease/line a cupcake tin. Weigh and measure the flour, baking powder, bicarb, cinnamon and salt, and mix together in a bowl. 

2. Using a freestanding or handheld mixer, beat the egg and sugar until pale and fluffy; about 10 minutes. Gradually add the oil and vanilla, beating meanwhile, until combined. Sift in the dry ingredients, and fold in with a metal spoon until evenly distributed.

3. Stir in the carrots, walnuts and pineapple, and divide mixture between muffin cases. Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the middle of one comes out clean. Leave to cool fully before icing.

4. While the cakes are cooling, beat the butter until very soft, and then add the cream cheese, mixing until completely incorporated. Then sieve in 1/3 of the icing sugar, and mix in, starting slowly. Repeat with the next third, and the last, adding milk or more sugar to reach the desired consistency. If you want to pipe it, it should be fairly thick. 

5. Pipe or spread the icing as desired on the cool cakes, and top with a sprinkle of chopped walnuts.

Enjoy :)

Maryland Cookie's and Cream Cake

Maryland cookies are by far the best packaged chocolate chip cookies you can find in the UK (even though they're not even made or sold in Maryland, or for that matter, the US), so why not make a cake out of them? If you haven't got buttermilk, you can just mix half plain natural yoghurt with half milk.

            Ingredients

For the Cake:

110g Unsalted Butter,Softened

380g Caster Sugar

320g Plain Flour

4tsp Baking Powder

1tsp Salt

320ml Buttermilk

3 Large Eggs

135g Maryland Cookies (or any other chocolate chip cookies)

For the Icing:

500g Icing Sugar, Sifted

160g Unsalted Butter, Softened

250g Mascarpone

3 Maryland/Chocolate Chip cookies, crumbled

Method

1. Preheat oven to 150C fan/170C/Gas 3, and line the bottom three 20cm (8inch) cake tins, and grease the sides. If you only have one, don't worry, it will just mean it will take longer, and you'll have more trips to the oven.

2. In a freestanding electric mixer or a handheld whisk, cream the butter and sugar until light and pale (it won't have the regular consistency of creamed butter and sugar as the ratio of butter to sugar is different). 

3. In a large jug, mix the buttermilk and the eggs. Very gradually, in a slow but steady stream, add about half of the jug while the mixture is being whisked, making sure it all stays well combined. Once half is added, sieve in the dry ingredients, and continue to mix on a slower speed. Then again, very gradually add the rest of the jug into the mix. 

4. Break the cookies into pieces by hand, no more than about 2cm in length, and fold into the batter. Divide into three cake tins, and place into the oven for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown, springs back to the touch, and a skewer comes out clean. Once the cakes are cool to the touch, go around the edges of the cakes with a small palette knife to loosen it a bit, and remove from the tins, transferring them to a wire rack.

5. For the icing, use a free standing mixer or handheld whisk to cream the butter and sugar together until very light and pale, starting on a low speed so that icing sugar doesn't go everywhere. Add about a third of the mascarpone and beat until smooth, then add the rest, and mix for a few minutes on a high speed until much lighter in texture and colour. 

6. Once cakes are completely cool, you can start assembling. Take one cake, and add about 4 or 5 tablespoons of icing on top, smoothing out with a palette knife, and liberally sprinkling cookie crumbs on top. Top with the next cake and repeat. Add the last layer, and frost the top and sides of the cake, trying to ensure there are no gaps. Top with either leftover crumbs, broken up cookie pieces, or just leave plain. 

Enjoy :)

After Eight Mint Chocolate Cupcakes

Who doesn't like mint and chocolate? This recipe tries to copy the 'after eight' mint, with the dark chocolate cake, and the secret mint fondant filling inside. Not really sure what to say about quantity though, for me it made 24 mini muffins and 4 regular ones. 

Ingredients

For the Sponge

50g Dark Cooking Chocolate

123g Butter

113g Sugar

2 Eggs, Beaten

50g Self-Raising Flour

1.5 tbsp Cocoa Powder

Pinch of Salt

Mint Filling

100g Icing Sugar

3/4tsp Peppermint Extract

Some Water

Mint Buttercream

60g Butter, Soft

250g Icing Sugar

1/2tsp Peppermint Extract

1/2tsp Vanilla Extract

Some Milk

Green Food Colouring

A few thin mint chocolate crisps

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C/fan 160C/Gas 4. Line/Grease a mini muffin or regular muffin tin. Put the chocolate and butter into a bain-marie and melt, stirring throughout. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar. Pour into a mixing bowl and leave to cool for 10 minutes. 

2. Beat the mix with a handheld or freestanding mixer for about 3 minutes, or until much lighter in colour, and gradually add the beaten eggs, beating well inbetween each addition for about 10 seconds. Sift in the dry ingredients and fold in until well incorporated. 

3. Fill the holes of the tins 3/4 of the way with mix, and place in the oven for about 25 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. They should have a brownie-like texture. In the oven they will rise, and then fall, so don't be alarmed if they do so. Place on a wire rack to cool. 

4. Whilst they are cooling, make the fondant filling. Mix the icing sugar, 1tbsp water and peppermint extract with a whisk until blended, then add about 1/2 tbsp more water and whisk until well incorporated. You are looking for a thick liquid texture. 

5. Once the cakes are fully cooled, using a knife, and not cutting too deep, cut a cylinder out of the top of a cupcake, and fill with fondant filling. Place the cylinder back in to the cupcake and set aside. Do the same for all.

6. For the icing, mix the sugar and soft butter together, then add the flavourings. Add 1 tbsp milk, and use a handheld whisk to bring it all together. Add another as much milk as necessary to form a quite thick icing, mixing inbetween additions, and add food colouring slowly to reach your desired colour. Pipe onto the cupcakes with a star nozzle. 

7. Cut the chocolate crisps into shards or rectangles, and stick on the top of the cake. 

Enjoy :)

Parmesan Gnocchi with Creamy Tomato, Mascarpone and Spinach Sauce

 A recipe PERFECT for these freezing winter months, and good hearty dish that will impress anyone once you've told them you made it from scratch! Serves 4.

Ingredients

For the Gnocchi:

 50g Parmesan, Grated

1kg Starchy Potatoes (eg Desiree)

350g 00 Flour, plus extra

For the Sauce:

400g Tin of Chopped Tomatoes

120g Mascarpone

20g Full Fat Cream Cheese

1tbsp Olive Oil

2 Garlic Cloves, Chopped

200g Baby Spinach

Handful of Basil Leaves

Pinch Oregano

Grated/Shaved Parmesan, to serve

Butter, to pan fry the gnocchi

Method

1. Boil the potatoes with the skins ON until soft when a knife is put in it, can be 10-30 minutes depending on the size and type of potato. Once boiled, peel them and mash thoroughly - making sure there is no lumps. This is most efficiently done with a potato ricer. Leave to cool by spreading out on a kitchen worktop.

2. Meanwhile the potatoes are boiling and cooling, make the sauce. Start by heating the oil in a medium saucepan, and frying the garlic until golden. Next, (and do it quickly to avoid splattering oil) pour the tomatoes in, turn down the heat, and let simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients, season, and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring regularly. 

3. Back to the gnocchi, and the flour and parmesan bit by bit, working it into a cohesive dough. This might take a while, so be patient and keep working it in. Flour your worktop, and make long sausage shapes out of the dough, about 1"-1.5" thickness. Line them up, and cut squares, or 'pillows' out of them, and place aside separately on floured worktop. 

4. To get the true, italian gnocchi, you need to shape it to get those great ridges on them. You can do this either with the back of a fork, or a gnocchi board, as in the picture. With either of them, flatten the pillow against the ridges or prongs, and pick up one and curl it around. I know these aren't the clearest of instructions, but in the end it just takes practise. Again, place the shaped gnocchi separate from each other on a floured surface. 

5. Start heating the sauce, and fill a large saucepan with water, and heat it until boiling. Turn down the heat, and with a sieve, lower the gnocchi into the water. It will float up when its ready, so take out the finished ones with a slotted spoon, and place into a bowl. Heat up some butter in a frying pan, and pan fry a serving at a time of gnocchi until very lightly browned, place into a bowl, and top with sauce. 

Enjoy :)