Chocolate & Almond Marble Bundt Cake

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Oh yummy! I fancied something a little naughty with my coffee this weekend so thought I’d try out my new Bundt cake tin. It was supposed to be marbled, however, I think I put to much chocolate into the mixture and swirled it too many times…….lol! The flavour was fantastic though.

A Bundt cake  is a cake that is baked in a Bundt pan, shaping it into a distinctive ring shape. The shape is inspired by a traditional European cake known as Kugelhupf, but Bundt cakes are not generally associated with any single recipe. The style of mould in North America was popularised in the 1950s and 1960s, after cookware manufacturer Nordic Ware trademarked the name “Bundt” and began producing Bundt pans from cast aluminium. Publicity from Pillsbury saw the cakes gain widespread popularity.

 

Ingredients for 1 Bundt tin

180g softened butter

225g caster sugar

3/4 tsp almond extract

2 tsp baking powder

180 g plain flour

75g ground almonds

3 large eggs

2 tbsp milk

3 tbsp cocoa powder with 3 tbsp water – mix to a paste

100g dark chocolate chips

Icing sugar to decorate

 

  1. Pre heat your oven to 180 deg or if you have a cake setting, set to Marble Cake setting. Brush the Cake tin with melted butter, ensure it is thoroughly covered.
  2. Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy, stir in the almond extract.  20190830_183238
  3. Mix together the flour, baking powder and ground almonds together. Beat in the eggs one at a time to the butter mixture with 2 tbsp of the flour mixture, repeat until all eggs have been added then fold in the remaining flour mix.
  4. Stir in the milk and mix, then spoon 1/2 of the batter into a separate bowl and mix in the cocoa paste into 1 and the chocolate chips into the other.            20190830_184820
  5. Add spoonfuls of each batter alternately to the cake tin and drag a handle of a spoon through the mixture to create the marble effect, do not over do this.        20190830_185255
  6. Bake in the oven for about 40-50 minutes until a knife comes out clean
  7. Let it cool for about 10 minutes in the tin before turning out. Once cooled, sprinkle with icing sugar and serve. Yummy!

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Chocolate & Black Cherry Ravioli

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O.M.G. what can I say, another satisfying little dish. Ever since I got my pasta maker I’ve been keen to use it, so this weekend I decided to try something different. So deliciously scrumptious!

Serves 6

For the Ravioli

300g Plain Flour

1 tbsp of cocoa powder

3 eggs

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp of milk

For the Frangipane

100g ground almonds

100g powdered sugar

100g butter

1 egg

1 tbsp flour

1 tbsp dark rum

 

Others

200g caster sugar

1 vanilla pod

Handful of Black cherries

1 egg for wash

 

  1. Prepare the dough for the ravioli by mixing all the ingredients together in a mixer. Allow the dough to rest for about 1 hour covered in cling film.
  2. Meanwhile, mix up the frangipane by mixing all ingredients in a mixer until you get a thick mixture. Put into a piping bag and refrigerate until ready to use.                                                                                                                                      20180324_160519_001.jpg
  3. Cut the dough in half and flatten with your hands, then feed through a pasta maker (No. 4 or 5 setting) (or roll out to about 2mm if you don’t have one).

     

  4. Lay the pasta on a floured surface, with the piping bag place a dollop of frangipane evenly spaced on 1 of the sheets, then place a cherry on top and brush around each one with egg wash.
  5. With the other sheet of pasta lay on top and press down to seal. Cut the ravioli using a cutter and seal the edges with a fork.                                                          20180324_163707
  6. Bring about 2 litres of water with the sugar and vanilla to a boil, place the ravioli in the water and cook for about 3-4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon.                                                                                          20180325_131128
  7. Meanwhile, heat up some custard.
  8. Serve in soup bowls, pour custard in bowl and add in the ravioli, add in some black cherries and grated some dark chocolate over for extra sweetness. Yummy!

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Vanilla & Almond Chip Cupcakes

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When life gives you snowy days…………..JUST BAKE!……….Coffee and Cake can never go wrong in my house, especially on a snowy day. I used my sponge recipe from my pistachio cupcakes, and I just omitted the pistachios.  I baked half with chocolate chips inside and the other half I used some Unicorn Chips (coloured white chocolate chips). I then decided to use what I had in my cupboards with regards to decoration and went a bit creative……lol! Think the boredom was getting to me……lol.

This is definitely my best cupcake mixture to date, always light and fluffy and full of flavour.

 

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Almond & Orange Cake

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almondcake

I made this for my mum coming round for dinner this weekend, was looking for something light and refreshing, it totally hit the spot. I served it with cream but you could also serve custard which I think would be nice.

The orange rind gives this cake a fragrant hint of citrus while the almond flour makes it moist and dense, so its virtually melt in the mouth.  Perfect with an afternoon cuppa.

 

Used a 20cm cake tin.

220g icing sugar (leave a little for decoration at end)

90g plain flour

90g Almond flour

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp baking powder

6 egg whites

115 g soft butter

Rind of 1 orange

 

  1. Mix all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl
  2. Preheat the oven to 180 deg, grease a cake tin.
  3. Pour mixture into the baking tin and bake for about 25-30 mins or until a skewer comes clean. Oh so yummy!

 

 

 

Jamie Olivers 5 ingredient Almond Puff

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I started watching Jamie Oliver’s new 5 Ingredient TV Show and liked the sound of the Almond Puff Pastry. Using my little magic Crisper Plate, thought I would give this a go.

 

All butter puff pastry

100g ground almonds or whole and blitz

Icing Sugar

2 eggs (1 for wash)

1 tbsp double cream

 

  1. Roll out puff pastry into 2 circles
  2. Blitz almonds in a processor, or if using ground add to a mixing bowl, add 1 spoon icing sugar, 1 tbsp cream and egg and mix together until blended
  3. Place 1 circle onto preheated crisper plate and fill the centre with the mixture leaving approx 1 inch all round
  4. Place the other pastry circle on top and seal the edges with a fork
  5. Brush will egg wash and put small knife hole in the middle
  6. Cook on Dynamic Crisp setting for about 10 minutes.
  7. Remove and dust with some icing sugar then serve with some fresh cream……oh so yummy!

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