Peanut Butter & Chocolate Squares

Image Leave a comment 19/11/2020 the wee caledonian cook

OMG! Well what can I say, if you love Peanut Butter like me these are delicious. They are also very light and cut up into small squares they are only about 70 calories per square, so in my book that’s a guilt free treat with my cup of coffee.

We always have a little treat on a Sunday, it’s something to look forward to while we relax and chill after our working week. Peanut butter is a good source of protein, fiber, folate, phosphorus, potassium & magnesium. And yes, peanut butter does have fat, but the fat is monounsaturated, which is more cholesterol-friendly.

I first saw this recipe from a Diabetic Website https://diabeticgourmet.com/ when my mum was a Diabetic, unfortunately I never got round to making them for her. This recipe I change a little to suit our sweet tastes….lol!

Makes 16 small squares

60g Butter

120g Caster Sugar (Splenda if diabetic)

40g Light Brown Sugar

100ml skimmed or semi skimmed milk

60g Peanut Butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg

120g Self Raising Flour

90g Rolled Oats

1/2 tsp baking powder

Pinch salt

120g Chocolate Chips

1. Beat the butter, caster Sugar and brown sugar until well combined.

2. Stir in milk, peanut butter, egg and vanilla until blended. Gradually mix in combined flour, oats, baking powder and salt until blended. Stir in chocolate chips.

3. Spread mixture evenly into a 9 x 9-inch baking pan covered with greaseproof paper. Bake in preheated 170 deg oven for 25 minutes or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean. Leave to cool on wire rack. Cut into squares.

4. Store in airtight container at room temperature, will be best for up to 3 days.

Cranberry & Walnut Scones

Image Leave a comment 14/07/2019 the wee caledonian cook

Oh yum. I’ve not had a scone in a while, so looking in my cupboards I had some Walnuts & Cranberries to use up and decided to give it a try. These were absolutely delicious, served with a good quality butter they were perfect with a cuppa. Lovely little afternoon tea scone.

Makes 6

100g Light Brown Sugar (or white caster sugar) (plus 1 tbsp)

2 tbsp lemon juice

300g Plain Flour

1 tbsp baking powder

Freshly grated lemon zest – 1 lemon

1 tsp salt

75g unsalted butter

50g dried cranberries

50g chopped walnuts

50ml Milk

50ml Double cream

Preheat your oven to 190 deg. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Mix 1 tbsp sugar & 1 tbsp lemon juice together in a dish and set aside, this will be for the glaze.
Whisk flour, baking powder, lemon zest, salt, and sugar in large bowl. Add chilled butter & using fingertips, rub in until you get breadcrumb like mixture.
Mix in cranberries and walnuts. Then add in the milk & cream and mix through 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Toss with fork or hands until dough comes together in moist clumps.
Floured a work surface and roll out till about 1 inch thick. Using a cutter (about 7-8cm diameter) cut out 6 servings and place onto your baking sheet. Using the glaze brush lightly over the scones. Bake for about 18 minutes. Or until a knife comes out clean and slightly browned
Serve with some butter. Yummy!

Christmas theme Swiss Roll

Image 1 Comment 14/11/2018 the wee caledonian cook

This is the first time I have tried a swiss roll ad thought I would challenge myself. Christmas is coming so I wanted to do something different, so why not play with stripes?

I have to admit I found this rather easy to do.

Makes 1 roll (avg 10 slices)

2 eggs, 3 egg yolks

100 grams caster sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

30 grams sifted self raising flour

3 egg whites

1 tablespoon sugar

Colouring. Green & Red.

Whipping cream with 1 tsp vanilla ext.

Raspberry jam

Heat the oven to 200C on fan.
Line a sheet pan. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl add the 2 eggs, 3 egg yolks and caster sugar. With the paddle attachment on, beat on medium to high speed around 5 minutes until pale in colour and thickened. Add the vanilla extract and beat few more seconds.
Sift the flour over the egg yolks mixture and with a spatula gently fold it in.
In a separate grease-free bowl, add the 2 egg whites and 1 tablespoon of sugar. With a whisk, whip until firm peaks form.
With the spatula, fold the whipped egg whites into the egg yolks mixture.
Pour the cake batter into 3 separate bowls and add the colouring. DON’T OVERMIX. Put into piping bags and pipe each colour by one onto backing sheet. Bake for about 10 mins or until springy.
As soon as you remove the cake from the oven turn onto a sheet of greaseproof paper. Remove the parchment paper from the cake slowly. Then turn over onto a clean Tea towel and roll up. Allow to cool completely.
Whisk the Whipped cream and vanilla in a bowl until thick.
Spread the rasperberry jam onto the cake and then the cream and roll. Roll up with cling film and chill for 30 mins -1 hour – makes it easier to cut.

Pistachio & Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

Image 1 Comment 24/02/2018 the wee caledonian cook

O.M.G!! What can I say………….this little creation is my best yet……absolutely delicious! 10/10 my boyfriend said….lol!

I just love a relaxing saturday afternoon baking, while my boyfriend was watching the Rugby I was listening to my favourite tunes by Imagine Dragons and creating some little afternoon delights.

Makes 12

70g pistachios

140g Golden Caster Sugar

140g Self Raising Flour

140g butter

2 eggs

5 tbsp milk

100g milk or dark chocolate drops (whichever you prefer)

1 tsp vanilla essence

1 tsp almond extract

250g icing sugar

Green food colouring

Preheat oven to 160 deg.
Line a Muffin tin with cases.
Blitz the pistachios in a blender under finely chopped. (keep a little back for decoration)
Mix flour, sugar, butter, eggs, milk, vanilla essence, almond extract and pistachios in an electric mixer until well blended and smooth.
Divide the mixture between the cases and then push some chocolate chips into each one.
Bake in the oven for about 23-25 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. Leave to cool on a rack after.
Meanwhile, sift the icing sugar into a bowl and add 1 tbsp at a time of water until you get a thick but still slightly running texture. Then drop 1 or 2 drops of food colour into icing to make a pale green colour.
Melt some chocolate in the microwave for the decoration. About 1 minute – 1m30secs.
When cakes are cool, top with the icing, then left over pistachios and drizzle with the chocolate. Refrigerate for about 1/2 hr to harden.
Then just devour! Oh so Yummy!

Lemon Puffs

Image 4 Comments 26/03/2016 the wee caledonian cook

I had some puff pastry left in the fridge and some cream, so, yep you guessed it…..cream puffs! Add a hint of lemon for an Easter flavour and voila……..Lemon Puffs were born! So Tasty, so easy, so happy!

1/2 sheet of ready made Puff Pastry

100ml double cream

25g icing

1 tsp vanilla essence

Juice of 1 lemon and Zest

Preheat oven to 180 deg.
Roll out Puff pastry as thin as you can without breaking.
Using a knife cut into strip about 2 inch wide and the cut lengthways about 6 inch long. Place onto greaseproof paper on a baking tray. Sift some icing sugar over pastry and refrigerate for about 5 mins.
Remove from fridge and bake for 10 mins or until golden brown and puffed up.
Allow to cool.
Meanwhile, to make cream, pour cream into a bowl, add icing sugar, vanilla essence and lemon juice and zest whisk until stiff and glossy.
Using a spatula put cream into a piping bag and then pipe dollops onto half of the puff pastry and using the other puff pastries make a stack, sift some icing sugar over and finish of with remainder of cream. You can do any design you like.

Yummy!!

Best Cakes in Dundee!

Image Leave a comment 26/01/2016 the wee caledonian cook

I was on my way to see one of my customers in Dundee today and after calling ahead, the designers asked if I would bring them in a Coffee Tower from Fisher & Donaldson Baker, so being the kind person I am and I was also intrigued as to what a Coffee Tower was! I thought I would treat them in the hope I would get a coffee after a long drive.

I decided to stop in at the Perth Rd, Bakers Shop at 9am this morning, walking through the door your are hit with the amazing smell of sweet and savoury that instantly makes you hungry. I was welcomed with a warm hello from the girl behind the counter, who was also very chirpy for 9am. (I am not a morning person!lol!) I asked for a Coffee Tower and she presented me with this deliciously looking Choux Bun filled with coffee flavoured cream and coffee glaze topping. Oh my it looked amazing, so I just had to get one for myself……..and oh boy…it was delicious! I had to stop myself going back in to get more……

The variety of cakes and breads they do was just amazing I couldn’t help wandering my eyes over the vast amount of selections they had. Here are a few:-

I would definitely come back here again and again. If you are in any of these areas that they have shops, please go in and try, you won’t be disappointed. Check out their website:- http://fisheranddonaldson.com/

They have stores in Cupar, Dundee and St. Andrews.

Maple Syrup and Chocolate Muffins

Image 1 Comment 24/01/2016 the wee caledonian cook

This was my 2nd batch of today, after a night out last night we wanted some Home Comfort Food, so off to the kitchen I went and decided on a quick Muffin Recipe. After looking at what I had in cupboards my Maple Syrup and Chocolate combo were just the ticket to tackle our munchie (hungry) feeling!

Makes 6 Muffins

125g Self Raising Flour

50g Softened Butter

1 egg beaten

50g Caster Sugar

40g soft light brown sugar

1 tbsp semi skimmed milk

2 tbsp Maple Syrup

FOR THE TOPPINGS

1 handful (20-30g chocolate drops)

1 Cup (50g Icing Sugar)

1 tbsp Semi Skimmed Milk

1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Preheat oven to 180 deg. Line a muffin tine with paper cases.
Beat the butter until soft, gradually add in Brown sugar and caster sugar until combined and fluffy.
Beat the egg in a separate bowl, Slowly add in the eggs to the sugar mix, add in the Maple Syrup and mix.
Sift the flour into the sugar mix in 3 batches, adding a little of the tbsp of milk after each batch until combined.
Spoon the mixture into the muffin cases and bake in the oven for about 20 mins.
Meanwhile, mix the Icing sugar, milk and vanilla extract together until you get a fine paste like solution.
5 minutes before the muffins are ready, remove from oven and press the chocolate drops on top of the muffins, bake for the remainder, allowing chocolate to slightly melt in.
Remove from oven and using the icing sugar mix drizzle over the muffins……you can be creative here if you want!
Allow to cool for 10 mins……….and then devour….YUMMY!

Check out my banana and Coconut Muffins here also.

https://cookingwithluce.wordpress.com/2016/01/24/banana-and-coconut-muffins/

BEWARE!……your kitchen WILL get messy! lol!

Nutrition Facts

Maple Syrup and Chocolate Muffins

Servings Per Recipe: 6

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 257

Total Fat: 8 g
Saturated Fat: 4.6 g
Trans Fat: 0.3 g
Cholesterol: 45.4 mg
Sodium: 79.2 mg
Total Carbs: 42 g
Dietary Fiber: 1 g
Sugars: 19.6 g
Protein: 5 g

Banana and Coconut Muffins

Image 1 Comment 24/01/2016 the wee caledonian cook

Today I woke up late after one of my friends 30th Birthday Party last night, surprisingly I felt really good and awake, after a shower and breakfast I suddenly got the urge to bake after my boyfriend saying he had the munchies…lol! So off I went into the kitchen, music on and feeling creative. Looking in my cupboards I came up with 2 different muffin recipes….so here goes the first one:-

Makes 6 muffins

125g Plain Flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon powder

50g caster sugar

40g desiccated coconut

1 really ripe banana

90ml semi skimmed milk

1 egg beaten

50g butter melted

1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 180deg. Line a muffin tin with paper cases.
Sift the flour, cinnamon and pinch of salt into a mixing bowl. Stir in the sugar a 45g of coconut (leave a tbsp amount for after). Make a well in the middle.
Peel banana and mash 3/4 of it into a paste. Put 1/4 to side. Put banana paste into well of flour mix.
Lightly whisk milk, beaten egg, vanilla and melted butter together, pour into well of flour mix.
Mix all ingredients together but do not over mix.
Spoon mixture evenly into the 6 muffin cases.
Slice the remaining banana and place one or two slices on top and sprinkle remaining coconut over.
Place in oven and bake for about 20-25 mins until knife comes out clean. Leave to cool.

Then eat to your hearts content! YUMMY!

Also check out my other Muffin recipe:- Maple Syrup and Chocolate!

https://cookingwithluce.wordpress.com/2016/01/24/maple-syrup-and-chocolate-muffins/

BEWARE!! your kitchen WILL get messy! lol!

Nutrition Facts

Banana and Coconut Muffins

Servings Per Recipe: 6

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 204

Total Fat: 8.1 g
Saturated Fat: 4.7 g
Trans Fat: 0.3 g
Cholesterol: 45.5 mg
Sodium: 87.8 mg
Total Carbs: 30.4 g
Dietary Fiber: 3.1 g
Sugars: 11.8 g
Protein: 4.5 g

Toffee and Chocolate Shortbread with Pecans

Image Leave a comment 14/11/2015 the wee caledonian cook

Having my breakfast this morning and sitting looking at the very wet and windy weather through the window, my thoughts were of feeling cosy and warm this afternoon, so I decided I wanted a nice bit of cake to go with my fresh warm coffee. Looking in my cupboards I saw Toffee Sauce and Chocolate and came up with this wee bit of delightful heaven. Cake, Coffee and a Comfy Couch on a rainy day, canny beat it!

Makes 15 squares

110g unsalted butter

105g Soft Brown Sugar

1 tsp Vanilla Essence

130g All purpose Flour

Pinch salt

150g chocolate (dark or milk)

30g Pecans – chopped

1. Preheat oven to 180 deg.

2. Line a 20cm baking tin with foil and grease.

3. Mix with an electric mixer the butter, sugar and vanilla until smooth

4. Then mix in the flour and salt and mix until combined but not too stiff.

5. Pour mixture into the baking tin and with a spatula evenly spread out.

6. Place on middle shelf in oven for about 20 minutes until golden brown.

7. Meanwhile, chop up chocolate into small bits, and chop pecans too.

8. Once base is ready, pour chocolate bits evenly over and put back into oven for 1-2 mins until melted, remove and spread evenly.

9. Top with the pecans and allow to cool. Once cool put into fridge to set chocolate (approx 1 hour)

10. Cut into small squares and serve. YUMMY!

I had some toffee sauce and decided to drizzle over squares which added extra flavour.

Pistachio Cake/ Bread

Image Leave a comment 11/04/2015 the wee caledonian cook

I had some Pistachio’s in the cupboard and didn’t know what to do with them, so I made a cake/Bread! Not sure what to call it, it looks like bread but tastes like a cake…lol!

I still have 50g of pistachios left and will try a topping for chicken through the week for something different. Watch this space.

My Pistachio Afternoon Cake/Bread – Serves approx 10-12

300g Self Raising/All purpose flour

1.5 tsp kosher Salt or table salt if you don’t have.

1 tsp baking powder

100g unsalted butter (room temp)

300g caster sugar

5 large eggs

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 tbsp fresh orange juice

2 tsp grated orange zest

1 tsp grated lime zest

150g un-shelled pistachio’s

1. preheat oven to 160 deg.

2. Flour a baking tin and remove excess. Approx size 9x5x3 inch

3. Mix flour, salt and baking powder in a bowl, set aside.

4. Beat butter with electric mixer until light and fluffy, then add in the sugar and mix until well blended

5. Add in eggs, 1 at a time ensuring well blended, then add remaining juices (ie:lemon,lime,orange)

6. Now add the dry ingredients (flour mix) and mix.

7. Crush pistachio’s in a mixer until coarsely chopped, add in about 3/4 of pistachio’s and mix well in.

8. Pour mixture into baking tin and sprinkle remaining pistachio’s over top.

9. Bake in the oven for approx 1.5 hours or until knife comes out clean.

THE WEE CALEDONIAN COOK

DISCOVERING MY INNER CHEF

cakes

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Squares

Cranberry & Walnut Scones

Christmas theme Swiss Roll

Pistachio & Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

Lemon Puffs

Best Cakes in Dundee!

Maple Syrup and Chocolate Muffins

Banana and Coconut Muffins

Toffee and Chocolate Shortbread with Pecans

Pistachio Cake/ Bread