Nutella Brownie Baked Doughnuts

Wow, another baking post, I’m on fire right? I’ve had quite a bit of free time lately and have spent some of that getting busy in the kitchen fulfilling requests for baked goods. When a demand for brownies came my way I knew instantly I was going to make the 3 ingredient nutella brownies (that I’ve blogged before) as these always go down well. Seeking a way to jazz them up a bit I chose to bake them in a silicone doughnut mould, and as they didn’t look too exciting naked I melted down some dark chocolate and coated them (and the kitchen) in sprinkles.
I’m really pleased with the end result of these and they went down very well with the recipient. Honestly these are just about the easiest thing you can bake- you simply take 175g of nutella, one large egg and 5 tablespoons of flour and mix it all together. Add a splash of milk if the mixture seems on the dry side and then pop in to baking receptacle of your choice- cupcake cases, silicone moulds or a standard cake pan all work well. Bake at 180*c for 10-15 minutes depending on how you like your brownies and jobs a good ‘un!

Let me know if you make these and what you think of them. What are some of your favourite easy bakes?

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Win a Trip to Rome with Jones Bootmaker*

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Blogging is giving me a serious case of wanderlust at the moment and some of my favourite posts to read are the ones that showcase the holidays and adventures fellow bloggers have been on. I’m still not sure what my holiday plans (if any) will be but I’m totally going to be entering to win a trip to Rome with Jones Bootmaker and keeping my fingers and toes tightly crossed.

I almost feel like I shouldn’t be sharing this as the more people who enter the lesser my chances, but I’m the generous sort so here’s a brief idea of what is up for grabs…

“We’re giving you the chance to win a luxury European city break to Rome for two, including
flights, transfers, four nights accommodation at a 5* hotel and excursions to: The Colosseum, The Vatican Museums, The Sistine Chapel, St Peter’s Basilica
and The Borghese Gallery and Gardens.

Plus
All entrants will receive 10% OFF their next purchase with Jones Bootmaker. You will receive an email qualifying you for the discounts within 24hours of entering.”

Just promise me one thing, if one of you, my lovely blog readers happens to win then please pack me in to your suitcase!

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Celebrating the #QueensBirthday with Dr.Oetker

With the Queen turning the ripe old age of 90 this year there are various celebrations and special events going on left, right and centre. I was recently invited to take part in one with Dr.Oetker and having just about recovered from the Bunny Bums incident decided to hop on board.

Dr.Oetker have teamed up with baking expert Juliet Sear to create a rather magnificent NINE tier cake encompassing union jacks, the Queen’s crown, bunting and of course corgis.

Impressive, right? For those of us at home who love to bake but don’t quite feel up to the nine tier challenge the team at Dr.Oetker have come up with a regal themed cupcake recipe for us to bake instead…I was asked to have a go at baking the recipe but adding my own little hacks to put a different spin on things. Now, the recipe calls for fondant work which I am no expert at so before I pop up my attempt at the cakes and decoration here’s what they *should* look like!
Yeah, as you’ll see my skills aren’t quite as refined but I gave it my best shot! First up, here’s the recipe for the Strawberry and cream Royal Cupcakes (with my hacks in brackets).
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:

10 x cupcake cases
75g/3oz baking margarine
75g/30z caster sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp Dr.Oetker madagascan vanilla extract
75g/3oz self raising flour
100g/3.5oz soft set strawberry jam (I opted for lemon curd here for a citrus kick)

To decorate:

Dr.Oetker coloured ready to roll regal-ice
Dr.Oetker bright writing icing
225ml/8oz double cream (I made a simple lemon buttercream instead in keeping with my citrus theme)

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 190˚C (170˚C fan assisted oven, 375˚F, gas mark 5). Put the Baking Cases in 10 fairy cake tins. Put the margarine in a mixing bowl with the caster sugar, egg and Vanilla. Sift the flour on top and using an electric whisk on a low speed, gently whisk the ingredients together.

Increase the speed and whisk for a few seconds until well blended and creamy. Divide the mixture equally between the cake cases and smooth over the tops. Bake for 16 -18 minutes until risen and lightly golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Using a teaspoon, scoop out a neat portion of sponge from the centre of each cake and fill with jam. Press the cut out sponge back on top to seal in the jam. Set aside.

To decorate, gently knead the red and blue Ready to Roll icing separately to make pliable, then cut each into 5 pieces. Form each into a ball. Cut a deep cross in the top of each and roll the base of each ball between your fingers to make it narrower than the top – they should look like tiny chefs’ hats.

Knead 50g (2oz) of the yellow Icing to soften. Lightly dust the work surface with a little icing sugar then roll out the yellow icing thinly to form a rectangle approx. 8 x 15cm (3 x 7 inch). Cut 30 thin strips, approx. 0.5cm (1/4 inch) wide – you will need 3 for each crown. Cross 2 strips across each ball and stick in place using a little water. Trim at the base if necessary, then press down on the top of each to make an indent in the top.

Secure another strip around the bottom of each, and trim as necessary. Gather up the trimmings and make small balls to decorate the top if the crowns, sticking them in place with a little water. Pipe Writing Icing dots on each to resemble jewels. Leave aside on a board lined with baking parchment until ready to serve.

Just before serving, whip the cream until firm enough to pipe and spoon into a piping bag fitted with a large closed star nozzle. Pipe a generous swirl on top of each cake and top with a crown. Your cakes are ready to serve and enjoy, and fit for The Queen!

And my cakes?
If you squint they don’t look too amateur! Let me know if you make these and we can compare!

Excitingly Dr.Oetker are also holding a competition where you can win one of FIVE four tiered versions of the Queen’s cake. To enter simply click on this link and get sharing how you’ll be celebrating. Whilst I’m at it I thought I’d share a couple of quick tips for hosting a party if that’s the route you go down…

1. Keep it Simple! No-one wants a fancy six course meal, stick to good old fashioned buffet style food (and get people to bring a dish with them). Nothing unites people more than bonding over cheese sandwiches and chocolate fingers!

2. Get Crafty! Decorating for a party needn’t be expensive, turn scraps of fabric in to bunting or dig out some old wool and make pom poms to hang everywhere. Cheap, cheerful and fun to do.

3. Save on Washing up by using paper plates and plastic cups/cutlery. Everyone’s exhausted after a good knees up and facing mountains of washing up will be a drag. Use disposable everything where possible and save precious time and energy for the celebrations.

What are your plans and tips?

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Father’s Day Inspiration with House of Fraser*

With Father’s Day looming (19th June FYI) I thought it only right and fair that I do my best to provide inspiration on how to spoil the main man in your life as I always seem to be coming up with female orientated gift guides. There’s a reason for this in that shopping for my Mum is just so easy. We have very similar tastes and it’s rare that I go on any shopping trip without coming back with a little something to stash away for her. My Dad on the other hand is a different story and over the years I’ve become known for my off the wall thinking when it comes to my gifts to him- the policeman mole figurine and 50th Birthday Ant Farm are two that spring to mind as successes in the past. Still, focusing on something a little more traditional I’ve popped together some top ideas from House of Fraser’s selection of men’s accessories which will hopefully help point you in the right direction.

Will I be going down the more traditional route this year? Not likely, but I do know that when my stash of quirky ideas runs out my Dad would be more than happy to receive any of these gifts instead.

On the surface these might all look like quite run of the mill ideas, but with a huge range of quality brands (my Dad for example would love the Paul Smith cufflinks or Ted Baker iPad case) and something to suit all budgets- from £4.00 socks to watches costing hundreds there is something for all tastes and all budgets.

Now I’ve just got to work out if my lovingly handmade gift is going to cut it or if I need to be heading to the shops instead!

Which parent do you find easiest to shop for? I know my best friend is in the opposite situation to me and has a nightmare of a time trying to pick out a present for her Mum!

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Etsy Introductions: Bumble and Moss

The other weekend there was a handmade market just down the road from me which I couldn’t resist checking out. I wasn’t really sure what to expect from a market that describes itself as “A Handmade, Artisan and Vintage Emporium” and entered with a curious mind and some birthday money burning a hole in my pocket. It was a lovely little event and through it I not only added to my ever-growing collection of jewellery but came across some sellers that I quite simply fell in love with- and upon discovering that they had Etsy shops too I quickly fired off some e-mails to see if I could share them with the world (or at least my blog readership!)

The first of these sellers is called Tina and she runs Bumble and Moss, an enchantingly named shop that sells the most fairytale-esque Botanical Inspired Jewellery. I purchased one of Tina’s necklaces at the market but could quite easily have taken home the lot. With each piece holding botanical and costal inspiration the necklaces are crafted from sea glass and naturally dried flowers.

The piece I treated myself to is just beautiful, I love forget me nots so finding this was a real stroke of luck and it garners attention whenever I wear it. I’ve popped a few more of my favourite items below but really, you must check out Tina’s shop, it’s a must for anyone who loves flowers, unique jewellery and handcrafted pieces.
Let me know what you think in the comments below- what’s your favourite flower?

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