Baking

BLACK & WHITE COOKIES

• 1/2 cup butter, room temp
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar 
• 1 large egg, room temp
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 Tablespoons milk
• 3/4 cup of dark or milk chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup of white chocolate chips 

1. Using a mixer, cream the butter on medium speed for about 20 seconds. Add the sugars with the mixer running on medium. Cream it all together until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
2. In a separate medium size bowl, place flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together. Slowly add to the wet ingredients with the mixer on low. The dough will be very thick. By hand, stir in the milk, then fold in the chocolate chips. The dough will be thick and very sticky. Chill for at least 2 hours, covered. 
3. Preheat oven to 180c degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Set aside.
4. Take 2 Tablespoons of chilled dough and roll into a ball. Press onto baking paper.
5. Bake for 12 minutes. Cookies will appear undone and very soft. Press gently if cookies are too puffy. Cool cookies on tray for minutes before transferring to wire rack.

Citrus Slice

This is a family favourite recipe that always tastes amazing! It's a great slice for lunch boxes or taking to someone's house to share.

Base: 
100g butter melted 
3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 cup coconut
Grated rind of 1-2 citrus fruit (lemon, lime, orange...)
200g Marie Biscuits crushed

Icing:
1 cup icing sugar
2 Tbsp butter softened 
1 Tbsp Citrus Juice 

Method:
1. Place the melted butter, condensed milk, coconut, citrus rind, and biscuit crumbs in a bowl.

2. Mix well. Press into a lightly greased 28cm rectangular baking dish.

3. For icing mix the icing sugar and butter. Add the citrus juice slowly until the mixture reaches icing consistency, taste to get the citrus taste that appeals to you. Add more if need be.

4. Spread icing evenly over base. Refrigerator until firm. Cut into squares or rectangles and enjoy:) 

Note: Store slice in fridge. 









Let's start with a basic simple yet delicious, NEVER fail chocolate cake for the first recipe!

Dead-Easy Chocolate Cake  8-10 SLICES

My family has used this yummy chocolate cake recipe for as long as I can remember. I can not recall one time it didn't to our family proud. When ever we need to bake a chocolate cake we know what recipe to use and there's no second guessing. All the ingredients go into a bowl, mixed up and done! No beating to light and fluffing then adding eggs slowly, it's too simple to be true! It's a light and fluffy cake that's not rich so it's ideal for a light afternoon snack. 

Give it a try and tell me how it goes, would love to all here about it.

CAKE

200g self raising flour, sifted

5tbsp coco powder, sifted

250g brown sugar

125g butter softened 

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla essence

160ml water

CHOCOLATE GLAZE

80ml cream

150g dark chocolate chopped

1. Preheat oven to 160C (fan forced.) Brush a 20cm round cake pan with melted butter to grease. Line  the base with non-stick baking paper.

2. Place all cake ingredients in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer on high for 2-4 minutes (until pale and silky smooth.) Pour into prepared pan.

3. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until skewer inserted in the centre and comes out clean. Leave the cake to stand in tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to completely cool.

4. CHOCOLATE GLAZE - To make glaze, heat the cream in saucepan until simmering. Pour hot cream over the chopped chocolate in a heat proof bowl and leave to stand for 1 minute. Stir the chocolate-cream mixture until smooth. Pour over the cool cake and only spread if necessary to allow the glaze to run down the sides of the cake. Allow the glaze to firm before cutting or serving. 

Makes 8-10 slices