Malted chocolate cupcakes

Lovely, chocolaty with a hint of malt cupcakes. Truly recommend them.The recipe comes from "Cake days. Recipes to make everyday special. The hummingbird bakery".

Ingredients for 12 - 16 cupcakes:

• 150ml oil
• 75 ml milk
• 75 ml buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 1 and 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
• 240g flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 330g caster sugar
• 150 ml boiling water

Preheat the oven to 190C. Line muffin tin with paper cases. 

Pour the oil, milk, buttermilk, egg and vanilla into an electric mixer bowl and mix until just combine.

In separate bowl mix the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Sift about 1/3 of this mixture into a wet ingredients and whisk them. Then add 1/3 of boiling water and mix again. repeat until use all ingredients.

Spoon the batter into paper cases. Bake in preheated oven for 20 -25 minutes. When ready set aside to cool down. Prepare the frosting.

Frosting:

• 200g dark chocolate
• 240 ml double cream
• 115g malted - milk powder
• 50g soft cheese like Philadelphia
• 35g caste sugar
• Malteasers to decorate

 

 Melt the chocolate ether over the boiling water pot or in microwave. Set aside.

Pour the double cream into an electric mixer bowl add the malted - milk powder and whisk until stiffens. In separate bowl whisk the cream cheese and sugar until well combined. Add melted chocolate and mix. Then add whipped cream into chocolate mixture. Frosting is very rich and creamy. Spread the frosting over each cupcake and decorate with Malteasers.

Enjoy !

Recipe in Polish

Jam doughnut muffins

Easy to make recipe for vanilla muffins filled with jam. They are delicious and taste like doughnuts. The recipe comes form here.

Ingredients for 12 muffins:

• 300g self - rising flour
• 160g sugar
• 80 ml oil
• 1 egg
• 175 ml buttermilk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• jam

Preheat the oven to 200C. Line muffin tin with paper cases.

In a big bowl mix the flour and sugar. In separate bowl mix the oil, egg, buttermilk and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients mixture into a dry ones. Mix until just combined. 

Spoon about one table spoon of batter into prepared earlier muffin case, then add about 1 tea spoon of jam, cover with batter. Repeat until use all batter.

Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Baked muffins place on wire rack to cool down. In a meantime prepare frosting.

Frosting:

• 1 cup icing sugar
• 2 tbsp milk

Mix until turn into thick paste. Pour over each muffin.

 Enjoy !

Polish translation

Banana coconut muffins

Banana coconut muffins :)

Ingredients for 20 small muffins:

• 185 ml mashed bananas
• 125 ml light brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp lime zest (swap with lemon extract)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 125 ml melted butter
• 310 ml flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 125 ml dessicated coconut

Preheat the oven to 190C. Line muffin tin with paper cases.

Mix the mashed bananas, sugar, egg, lime zest, vanilla. Then stir in the melted butter. In separate bowl mix the flour, salt and coconut. Add the wet mixture and mix until just combined.

Spoon the batter into paper cases. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes.

 Enjoy !

Recipe in Polish

Carob cupcakes

Welcome in 2015 :) ! Happy New Year !

It's high time to catch up with some unpublished recipes. I baked those cupcakes in October last year but haven't got enough time to publish the recipe. 

This is recipe for those who have to avoid chocolate. Carob is healthier chocolate substitute you may read about it here. It has plenty of vitamins, minerals etc.. It has darker than chocolate color and slightly different flavour. 

This recipe comes form carob box. I think it's worth to try.

    Ingredients for 12 cupcakes:

• 100g margarine
• 100g brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
• 1/2 tsp almond essence
• 50g carob
• 40g wholewheat flour (I used spelt flour)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 40g ground almonds

Line muffin tin with paper cases. Preheat the oven to 180C.

Put the margarine  and sugar into electric mixer bowl and beat them. Separate the egg yolks and whites. Mix the egg yolks with vanilla and almond essence and add to the mixture in an electric mixer bowl and beat them together. 

In separate bowl mix the carob, flour, baking powder and almonds. Whip the egg whites until stiff. Add alternately the flour mixture and egg whites foam to the mixture in mixer beating continuously. 

 Spoon the batter to the muffin cases. Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes until well risen. 

Set aside to cool down. Prepare the frosting.

Ingredients for frosting:

• 80g icing sugar
• 25g carob
• 40g butter
• 4 tsp hot water

Place all the ingredients in a bowl  and mix them until turn into thick, smooth mass.

Spread over each cupcake top and sprinkle with chopped almonds.

   Enjoy !

Recipe in Polish
 

German chocolate cupcakes

This is Ina Garten's recipe for German chocolate cupcakes . As usually cupcakes were divine. Spongy, chocolate cake with lovely rich custard frosting packed with coconut, almonds and pecans. I truly recommend it to everybody.

Ingredients for 24 cupcakes:

• 170g butter
• 150g sugar
• 120g brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 250 ml buttermilk
• 125 ml sour cream
• 2 tbsp freshly brewed coffee
• 295g flour
• 41g coca powder (should be twice that much but I haven't got more in the cupboard)
• 1 1/2 tsp soda
• 1/2 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 200C. Line muffin tin with paper cases.

Place the flour, cocoa powder, soda and salt in a bowl and whisk them together.  In a separate bowl whisk the buttermilk, sour cream and coffee.

Butter, sugar and brown sugar beat in an electric mixer until fluffy for about 5 minutes. Add one egg at a time. When egg are well incorporated add the vanilla extract. Then beating continuously add alternately the flour and buttermilk mixture in three additions. 

Spoon the batter into prepared paper cases, 2/3 full. Bake in preheated oven for 15 - 20 minutes.

Transfer baked cupcakes into a wire rack to cool down. In a meantime prepare the frosting.

Frosting ingredients:

• 170g butter
• 410g evaporated milk
• 230 g brown sugar
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp almond essence
• 135g dessicated coconut
• 100g almond flakes
• 50g chopped pecans
• 1/4 tsp salt

 Melt the butter in a sauce pan. Stir in the milk, brown sugar and egg yolks. Heat this mixture up stirring continuously. Cook for 15 minutes until thickens. Set aside from the heat and add the vanilla extract and almond essence. Then stir in the coconut, almond, pecans and salt. Set aside for an hour to cool the mixture down.

Spread the mixture over each cupcake top.

 Enjoy !

Recipe in Polish

 

Mini cheesecakes with fruit jelly

Today's recipe : cheesecake topped with some fruits and jelly. Sound yummy ? I promise it was yummy. It is not difficult to prepare this dessert but it's a bit time consuming.  Anyway it's worth it !

Ingredients for 7 XL size cheesecakes:

cheesecake layer:

• 450g cream cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 110g sugar

bottom layer:

• 200g digestives biscuits
• 95g butter

 jelly:

• 1 packet of jelly
• tinned fruits

 Put the cream cheese, egg, vanilla and sugar in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 200C. Line muffin tin with paper cases.

Melt the butter and set aside to cool it down. Place the biscuits in a bag and smash them with rolling pin until reassemble fine crumbs. Mix with melted butter.  

Spoon this mixture on the bottom of beach paper case, so the bottom is evenly covered. Press the crumbs to the bottom with back of the spoon. 

Then spoon thick layer of cream cheese mixture on top. 

Place the muffin tin in preheated oven for  20 minutes. When ready remove form the oven and set aside to cool down. You may remove each cheesecake form muffin tin as this will speed up the cooling down process.

In a meantime prepare the jelly. Dissolve packed of jelly in a hot water. To speed up the setting process reduce  recommended amount of water by 100ml. Set aside to cool down.

When cheesecakes are cooled down put them back into muffin tin. Place some fruits on top of each cheesecake, then pour in the jelly. Put the tin to the fridge and keep the cheesecakes there until the jelly sets.

You may serve them with whipping cream.

Enjoy !

Recipe in Polish

Kiribath and pol pani

Kiribath ( milk rice) is a traditional Sinhalese dish served at almost all festivals, ceremonies and special occasions. Milk rice is creamy, has delicious richness from being cooked in coconut milk. It's usually served with sweet or sour additions. I am rather on the sweet side so prepared mine with pol pani, which is mixture of honey and coconut with plenty spices.  As this rice cooked in coconut milk it becomes creamy and sticky. It is easy to form it in different shapes. Traditionally is served cut into diamonds or squares. I put mine into silicone muffin cases, filled with pol pani and really enjoyed it. The kiribath recipe comes form my Sri Lankan friend Shiromi and pol pani she found for me on this web site.

While I am writing a tiny bit about Sri Lankan cuisine I would love to recommend you Bree Hutchins 'Hidden Kitchens of Sri Lanka' book. There are interesting stories about Sri Lankan regions, people who live there and type of food they eat. The book is packed with beautiful pictures and very interesting recipes. 

   

Ingredients for kiribath to fill 8 muffin cases:

• 200g basmati rice
• 350g water + 50 g to add later
• 250 ml coconut milk
• salt

 Wash the rice and place in a sauce pan. Pour in 350g water add some salt and cook stiring from time to time until the rice absorbs all the water. Taste the rice if you think it need more cooking or salt add additional 50g water and cook for few minutes longer. When cooked pour in the coconut milk. Cook longer stiring from time to time until the rice absorbs all the coconut milk. The rice should be moist and sticky.  

Here is the movie how to make kiribath.

While the rice is being cooked prepare pol pani.

Ingredients for pol pani:

• 150g golden syrup or honey
• 1 cardamon pod
• 1 clove
• 1/4 cinnamon stick
• 50g dessicated cococnut
• 1/2 vanilla stick
• 25g palm sugar

 Pour the golden syrup into a sauce pan. Add the cardamon, clove, cinnamon, sugar  and cook until sugar dissolves. Do not overcook as mixture will caramelize. Add the coconut and vanilla beans. Stir all well an set aside to cool down.

When the rice is cooked spoon the rice into silicone muffin cases. Press well to the bottom and make a well in the middle. Fill the well with pol pani and cover with remaining rice. Leave for a few minutes to set. Then turn upside down on the plate.  

Recipe in Polish.

Enjoy !

Too - easy blueberry muffins

I was craving for some fruit muffins and didn't want to whisk, beat, blend or anything like that. Just mix some ingredients together, preferably in one bowl with wooden spoon to save up on washing dishes. Then I came across Donna Hay recipe . That was it ! I wanted to bake them in beautiful blue XL size muffin cases and... the recipe failed. I don't really know what happened  but my muffins had lovely crunchy crust, big hole in the middle and soggy, wet bottom :( I didn't stop us from eating the edible parts but it wasn't really what I was looking for.

Because I don't give up so easily I tried again. This time had chosen regular size muffin cases and it worked. Muffins were really delicious, moist, packed with bursting in flavor blueberries with crunch crust. I think they are my favorite blueberry muffins for now. 

  Ingredients for 20 muffins: 

• 400g* self- rising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 200g* caster sugar
• 125 ml oil
• 1 egg
• 125 ml milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 300g frozen or fresh blueberries ( I used frozen)
• granulated sugar for sprinkle

* when the original recipe is in cups I always weigh the ingredients and that is the result

Preheat the oven to 180C. Line muffin tin with paper cases. 

Sift the flour and baking powder into a big bowl, add the caster sugar and mix all ingredients. Make a well in the middle and pour in the oil, milk, vanilla and break the egg. Stir all wet ingredients together, when well mixed stir all the ingredients. Mix them until just combined. The batter is very thick. Then fold in the blueberries.

Spoon the batter into paper cases up to top, sprinkle with granulated sugar. bake in preheated oven 30 -  35 minutes.

When ready transfer to the wire rack to let them cool down and enjoy !

Recipe in Polish

Salted caramel chocolate tartlets

Salted caramel chocolate tartlets were delicious.  Although preparation, especially of the dough, was a bit time consuming you wouldn't be sorry. Baked tartlet shells were perfect plain, topped with caramel just divine. Original recipe comes form this web site . Following this recipe I have skipped one layer, I haven't put ganache on top as I though caramel is enough. I would truly recommend salted caramel chocolate tartlets to everybody.  

Ingredients for dough - 24 mini tartlets:

• 115g butter
• 100g sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 140g flour
• 50g cocoa powder

Beat the butter and sugar until smooth in the stand mixer with paddle attachment. Add the egg, salt, vanilla and beat again until smooth. 

In separate bowl sift the flour and cocoa powder. 

Add the dry ingredients into the creamed butter. 

Shape the batter into a disc warp it int cling film and put into a freezer for about 1 hour to chill.

In a meantime grease the mini muffin tin. 

Preheat the oven to 180.

Remove the batter form the freezer. Pinch of a pieces of dough and form into about 2 cm balls. Place each ball in muffin tin cup. With your thumb press the dough down in the centre. 

Bake the tartlets for 10 - 15 minutes. The dough will rise while being baked. When removed form oven leave it to cool down for a few minutes, then press the dough again. When it is completely cooled down remove tartlets form the tin, sharp knife is helpful.

Transfer the tartlets into a plate and prepare the caramel. Instead of making caramel form the scratch I have melted soft, butter caramels.  

Ingredients for caramel filling:

• 115g soft, butter caramels
• 60 ml cream
• pinch of slat
• rock salt for decoration

Place the caramels in the sauce pan, pour in the cream, add the salt. Heat them up stirring occasionally until turn into soft creamy mixture. 

Pour the mixture into prepared earlier chocolate tartlets, sprinkle with rock salt and enjoy !

Recipe in Polish

Yummy chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting

I used to bake those cupcakes before but never decorated them with frosting. Most of the time we ate them plain or with fondant. To remind you please have a look here. This time I have decided to try them with frosting. I used this particular frosting before for beetroot muffins . This frosting is very tasty, chocolaty and really fuss free to make. Honestly it takes only a few minutes to make this one. Also you don't have to remember to take our your ingredients from a fridge good few hours before. 

Anyway I took this two recipes and turned them into delicious, yummy, fluffy, chocolaty cupcakes. They are perfect for any children parties and believe me  adults will love them too. 

 Ingredients for 12 - 18 cupcakes:

• 250g margarine
• 4 tbsp milk
• 4 tbsp baking cocoa
• 1 and 1/2 cup of sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 and 1/2 cup of self rising flour
• 16g vanilla sugar

Put the margarine, milk, cocoa powder, and sugar into a big pot. Heat the ingredients up until start boiling, stirring occasionally. When ready, set aside to cool the mixture down. 

Preheat the oven to 200C. Line muffin with with paper cases.

Separate the egg whites. Put the yolks in a small bowl as you will add them to the batter later.

Whisk the egg whites until stiff, set aside. 

When the mixture in a pot is close to room temperature add the flour and yolks and mix in well. Then gently fold in whisked egg whites.

Spoon the batter into paper cases half full. Bake in preheated oven for 20 - 25 minutes. Check with skewer, when clean after inserted in the middle of the cake it is time to remove cupcakes form the oven. Transfer the cupcakes to wire rack to cool them down completely before frosting.

 While cupcakes are cooling down prepare the frosting.

Ingredients for frosting:

• 60g margarine
• 60g baking cocoa
• 90 ml milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract*
• 460g icing sugar

* most of the flavour comes form vanilla extract, please use a good quality one

Melt the margarine and pour it into an electric mixer bowl. Add the cocoa and mix them until form thick paste. Then pour in the milk and vanilla. Mix for a while then add the sugar. Mix the mixture until turn into smooth, creamy frosting. Set the frosting aside for a few minutes it will stiffen a little. 

Transfer the frosting into piping bag with your favourite nozzle  and decorate the cupcakes. Mine were for children so I have sprinkled them with mini Smarties.

 Enjoy !

Recipe in Polish

Black bean muffins

These muffins are great if you need to trick children to eat something healthy. They taste like regular dark chocolate muffins while they made entirely of beans. They don't only taste but look like chocolate muffins. This is important too as children won't put into their mouths a suspiciously looking think. They were really nice and it's hard to believe that beans may taste so good :). Next time when I will be making them I will skip the chili, they were a bit too spicy for little ones.  Anyway  you have to try them. The original recipe comes form this website.

Ingredients for 24 mini muffins:

• 190g cooked or tinned beans (1 cup)
• 120g almond butter (1/2 cup)
• 1 banana
• 50g cocoa powder (1/2 cup)
• 1/2 tsp chili powder 
• 1 tsp gluten - free baking powder
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 60 ml honey (1/4cup)
• pinch of salt
• 1 egg
• chili flakes optional

If you use dry beans soaked them in cold water overnight. Pour the water over the beans covering them completely.  Then cook them in the water they were soaked in until soft. Drain and set aside to cool down. While using tinned just drain them.

Preheat the oven  to 200C. Slightly grease the muffin tin. Even if yours is covered with non - stick layer it's highly recommended to grease as this type of butter sticks a lot while being baked.

Put the beans in blender, add the almond butter and banana. Blend the until smooth. The mixture is very thick so it takes time to blend all ingredients. Then add to the mixture in the blender the cocoa powder, chili, baking powder, vanilla, honey, salt and egg. Blend them until smooth.  

Spoon the batter into muffin tin. Filling each cup 3/4 full. Sprinkle with chili flakes if you wish. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes until risen. Then remove form the tin, place on a wire rack to cool down. 

  Enjoy !

Recipe in Polish.

Cinnamon, courgette, carrot and cranberry muffins

I have recently came across this interesting recipe. And because I had all necessary ingredients home I gave it a try immediately. I was especially happy to use frozen cranberries as I had a pack of them in my freezer for ages. Muffins were very tasty. Soft, moist, not too sweet a little bit sour  with lovely crust. I think one of my favourite. What more important my children eat them despite the fact they were packed with vegetables.

Ingredients for 12 big or 24 smaller muffins:

• 320g flour
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp soda
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• pinch of nutmeg
• 220g sugar
• 230 ml canola oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 medium size carrot about 80 g
• 1 medium size courgette 180g
• 1 and 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 120g frozen cranberries

Preheat the oven to 180C. Line muffin tin with paper cases.

Finely grate the carrot and courgette.

Place the flour, baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg ans sugar in a big bowl and mix all ingredients together. 

In separate bowl whisk the eggs, oil and vanilla. Pour this mixture in a  bowl with grated veggies add frozen cranberries and mix. Add everything into a dry ingredients. Mix everything until just combined.

Spoon the batter into paper cases, about 3/4 full. 

Bake 25 - 30 minutes. When ready remove form the oven. Let the muffin cool for a few minutes in baking tin then transfer to the wire rack to cool down completely.  

Repeat with remaining batter.

Enjoy ! 

For recipe in Polish look here.