Lemon Drizzle Cake & Iced Lemon Biscuits

A light, zezty, moist lemon cake with  sugary sweet lemon drizzle.. lets go!

What You Will Need:
170g S.R Flour
170g Butter
170g Caster Sugar
3 Eggs
1tbsp Baking Powder
2 Lemons ( Zest + Juice)
110g Icing Sugar
Milk - (Just a splash if needed)

Method:
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.

Mix together both the sugar and the butter until light and creamy.

Beat egg in a cup and then stir in to the creamy mixture.

Zest the lemons and add ( Personal preference to how much zest you add, but I added about 1 and a half)

Stift in flour, and mix with a metal spoon. You may want to add a spash of milk to get a nice dropping consistency.

Grease and line your baking tin, add mixture and cook for 35 - 40 minutes

When cake is complete, juice the lemon and add icing sugar to the juice and stir

Whilst the cake is still warm , poke small holes in cake and add the drizzle mix.

When the cake is cool you can add a drizzle of some white icing. ( Just icing sugar and water, I havent included the measurements for this as you only need a small amount)

Now for the plain crunchy biscuit and lemon flavoured icing star shapes -

What You Will Need:
100g Butter
100g Caster Sugar
1 Egg (Beaten)
Vanilla Extract
Lemon Extract
275g Plain Flour
Icing Sugar, Yellow Food Colouring, Sprinkles, Shaped Cookie Cutter

Method:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees

Mix together butter & sugar until creamy. Mix in the beaten egg gradually alongside a dash of vanilla extract.

Sift in the flour. Roll into a dough. Make sure to cover work surface with flour so that it doesnt stick

Cut dough into desired shapes and bake for around 12 minutes ( keep a close eye)

When the bisucits have cooled. Mix up some icing sugar with water to get however much you need and add a small drop of lemon extract. Mix in and then add a tiny amount of yellow food colouring to get a pastel yellow colour. Decorate as you please with sprinkles :)

Happy Baking!

Helen xX

Delicious Green Smoothie

I recently decided to start making my own smoothies for an energy/health boost after the gym or work or to kickstart my day. Juicing has so many health benefits and all individual ingredients have so many health properties themselves so add them all together and you end up with a magic potion for health! Well thats how I'm trying to sell it, but i really do feel much better for drinking them. Green smoothies tend to be best as they are alkalizing to the body and very nutrient rich, which in turn helps your body to work at its best and maintian health. I find them very filling so that equal less snacking, which can only be a good thing!

I am going to start posting different recipes for smoothies to help inspire. One thing though, NEVER be put off by the colour of a smoothie. Looks are most definitely deceiving! I am led to believe the worse it looks, the better it tend s to be for you. Luckily mine tastes fantastic and looks good too ;) Its the only way I'll ever be able to incorporate spinach or kale or any green leaves into my diet as I really cant stand them.

This Smoothie is really healing and cleansing and best of all you dont taste any of the greens :)

Ingredients

Generous handfull of spinach   * The more greens the better, you can always even out the taste with fruit!*
Generous handfull of kale 
7 or 8 small chunks pineapple
2 clemintines (peeled)
Fresh ginger (finely chopped) * I tend to add a small amount as it can be very overpowering*
Juice of a fresh lemon
Juice of a fresh Lime
Coconut water or spring water ( To thin down Mixture)
A Few ice cubes 

NOW BLEND!

Make sure It is completely smooth and there are no bits. I tend to put mine in the fridge for a wee while just to cool down further as i like it chilled. It is much more pleasant to drink!

Helen xX

Chewie Chocolate Chunk Oatie Cookies (Egg Free Recipe)

A delicious sugary sweet oatie cookie which is crisp on the outside and soft and chewie in the middle. This recipe requires no eggs, which is handy for those who may be intolerant or who just dont happen to have any in. I made a few cinnamon spiced ones just as a wee experiment and they turned out fab! Close up pictures to follow.

What You Will Need:

125g Butter
120g Light Brown Sugar
100g Caster Sugar
210g Self Raising Flour
70g Oats
2 Tbsp Golden Syrup
Splash Vanilla Extract
Variations - 1 Tsp Cinnamon Or Chocolate Chunks

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees

Mix both the sugars and butter together until smooth and creamy. Add a splash of vanilla extract.

Add 2 tbsp of the golden syrup and mix.

Variation ingredient added here - either the cinnamon or chocolate chunks. Mix.

Add the oats

Sieve in flour and mix with a wooden spoon until it is blended

Roll into small balls and place onto a greased baking tray

Ensure there is enough space between the balls as they will flatten and expand

Bake for around 13 minutes

Leave to cool on wire rack

* Cookies will still be very soft when ready. They will harden up more as they cool, but remember they are meant o have a moist chewie texture*

Cookies with chocolate chunks

Cinnamon Variation

 Happy Baking!

Helen xX

Malteser Truffles & Coconut Truffle Recipe

A no fuss recipe that anyone can throw together in no time at all :)

Malteser Truffles

200g Cream Cheese

350g Icing Sugar

500g Milk or Plain Chocolate (preference)

135g Bag Maltesers 

Splash Vanilla Extract

Cream together the cream cheese and the icing sugar until smooth and add some vanilla extract

Crunch up the matlesers until they are in pieces 

Melt the chocolate in a pan over a low heat 

When the chocolate is melted add the smashed maltesers and mix together

Blend the melted chocolate mix and the cream cheese mix together. stir well.

Put in the fridge for around half an hour for the mixture to stiffen up

Once the mixture is a little more pliable, roll into balls and dip into chocolate strands or chocolate flakes.

Put in the fridge for around an hour to set further more

Coconut Truffles (Using same measurements as above)

Cream together the cream cheese and the icing sugar until smooth and add the vanilla extract

Melt the chocolate in a pan over a low heat

Combine the two mixtures and stir well

Put in the fridge for around half an hour for the mixture to stiffen up

Roll into balls and dip in some desicated coconut and put in the fridge to set

*Truffles are est kept in the fridge for freshness*

The best thing about this recipe is that there are lots of variations you can try out. I think next time I am going to try out a rocky road version and a white chocolate, cherry and biscuit one :D

Happy Baking

Helen xX

Easter Treat: Mini Egg & Chocolate Dipped Cookies

Super sugary, sweet soft chewie cookie with crushed mini eggs half dipped in chocolate. The perfect easter treat.. Lets go!

What You Will Need :

40g Caster Sugar

40g Dark Brown Sugar

75g Butter or Margarine

130g Self Raising Flour

2tbsp Syrup

1 Bag Mini Eggs

Splash Vanilla Essence
Melted Chocolate
Sprinkles

Preheat oven to 190 degrees.

First of all, mix together the caster sugar, brown sugar and butter until smooth and creamy.

Add syrup and vanilla essence and stir in.

Put the mini eggs in a bag and crush them with a wooden spoon (some elbow grease is required here, they are pretty hard)

Add them to mix

Sieve 130g of self raising flour and add to the mix.

Stir in flour with wooden spoon.

Next  roll balls of the dough and place onto greased baking tray, no need to flatten as they will do so on there own.

Leave plenty of space between each cookie as they will expand.

Cookies should be left in the oven for between 8-12 mins I usually check the cookies at around 10 minutes and usually they are okay. The cookies will feel soft at first but they will firm up whilst they cool.

Next melt some chocolate in the microwave, I used Cadbury Dairy milk and dip the cookie in, You can use a knife to spread and then pour on some sprinkles before it sets :)

Hope everyone has a nice Easter. I have a tonne of eggs and malteaster bunnies to keep me occupied :D

Happy Baking!

Helen xX