Mocha Fudge Cake with Cappuccino Buttercream

A few weeks ago I was asked if I would mind making a birthday cake for one of the ladies I work with.

Would I mind?!

I mean seriously, it's like these people don't know me at all....

Any excuse to make a cake.

This occasion called for a combination of chocolate and coffee and I had the perfect thing in mind - a moist deep rich chocolatey cake with just a hint of coffee topped with a fluffy light cappuccino frosting.

I had my concerns seeing as I was kind of just making it up as I went along but you know what? The end result was amazing. Even Mr B, who is a non-coffee lover loved it and that is saying something!

Mocha Fudge Cake

1.5 cups caster sugar
125g butter
1 cup water
1 tbspn coffee
1/3 cup cocoa
1/2 tspn bicarb soda
1.5 cups self raising flour
2 eggs

Pre-heat oven to 180C (160C fan forced) and grease a round cake tin.

Combine butter, sugar, warer, cocoa, bicarb and coffee in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Bring mixture to the boil and simmer for 5 mins. Transfer mixture to a bowl and allow to cool.

Add flour and eggs and mix until smooth. Pour into pan and bake for about 50 mins or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Stand in pan for 10 mins to cool before removing.

Once cool, top with Cappuccino Buttercream.

1 tspn coffee dissolved in 1 tbspn boiling water
125g butter, softened
1 tspn vanilla essence
2-3 cups icing sugar
1-2 tbspns milk

Beat butter using an electric mixer until pale and creamy.

Add icing sugar, milk, vanilla essence and coffee mixture. You may need to add more icing sugar to get the right consistency but basically beat until you get a smooth and fluffy texture.

Enjoy!

Mrs B xx

Caramelised Cider Onions

Hi there intermenet peoples its Mr B here.

So tonight my darling wife made me something special to go with my steak for dinner....cider onions and OMG were they good.

The smell as they were cooking was nearly as good as the end result and I tell you they tasted beautiful.

I would love to try them with some different flavoured ciders or on a sunday morning with some eggs and bacon on toast mmmm.

Well I guess I better go do the washing up so thank my beautiful wife and to every one out there ENJOY....

Caramelised Cider Onions

1 tbspn olive oil
2 brown onions, sliced into thin wedges
1 cup dry apple cider
2 tbspns brown sugar
Salt and Pepper.

Heat oil in a frypan over high heat.

Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally for 8-10 mins.

Reduce heat and add cider and sugar. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for a further 10-15 mins or until caramelised.

Serve over steak.

Enjoy!

Mr and Mrs B xx

Home Made Dinner Rolls

Following on from our home made butter and buttermilk success last weekend, I thought I would continue the trend this week with some home made dinner rolls.

I can't even begin to tell you how happy we were with these. They were light and fluffy on the inside, firm on the outside and best of all, we made them ourselves.

We had them for dinner Saturday night in the form of giant rolls stuffed with hot dogs and all the trimmings, we had them fresh out of the oven yesterday for lunch, dripping in strawberry jam and butter and we had them with dinner again last night, using them to mop up our runny baked eggs with chorizo.

They were fabulous and the fact that this recipe only makes a small amount is perfect for us because I can whip up a batch on Friday night or Saturday morning and they will last us for the weekend or to have with dinner throughout the week.....although obviously if we keep eating them with every single meal the way we currently are I will need to start making them twice daily....

Dinner Rolls
Makes 6 Dinner Rolls (or 4 Hot Dog Rolls)

1/2 tbspn sugar
1 tspn instant yeast
1/8 cup warm water
1/2 cup warm milk
1/2 tbspn vegetable or canola oil
1/2 tspn salt
1.5 - 2 cups plain flour
1 egg, beaten with 1 tbspn water

In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the sugar, yeast, water, milk, oil, salt and 1.5 cups of the flour. Mix with a dough hook until well combined. The dough should be a nice smooth ball, but if it's still a bit sticky, add the remaining flour 1 tbspn at a time until it comes together. Continue kneading for 5-7 mins or until smooth and elastic.

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and place somewhere warm to rise for about an hour. The dough should double in size during this time.

Divide the dough in 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and shape into your rolls. If you would prefer to make bigger hot dog style rolls, divide the dough into 4 pieces. Place the prepared rolls onto a lightly greased oven tray roughly 2 cm apart. Set aside somewhere warm for 45 mins to rise.

Pre-heat oven to 200C. Brush the tops of the rolls with the egg wash. Depending on the size of your rolls they will need to bake for anywhere between 12-20 mins. I suggest checking them regularly and once the tops are nice and golden in colour then they are done.

Now I should tell you to allow them to cool completely, but seriously, try one of the little dinner rolls fresh out of the oven smothered with butter and strawberry jam.....and then try one of the bigger ones stuffed with a hot dog (vegetarian......), cheese, onions, sauce and mustard.....

It's all good here.....

And then try and stop at just one.....

Mrs B xx

Spiced Brown Sugar Self Saucing Pudding

When Mr B and I woke up this morning it was a gorgeous day, the sun was shining, the sky was blue and there was not a breath of wind which was in stark contrast to yesterday's cold, wet and windy weather.

We immediately began making plans for long afternoon walks in the sun, maybe a bike ride, definitely a cup of tea and lunch outside on the pergola soaking up the sunshine.

Our first stop was out to visit some friends, we curled up on their couch, drank tea, ate some of the most amazing brownies I have ever tasted, and talked and chatted and watched their little boy laugh and play....

And wouldn't you know it, by the time we left the blue sky and the sun were gone. We ran some errands and made our way home for a quick cup of tea, a crumpet drowned in butter and honey and then we rugged ourselves up in jumpers and beanies and went for a stroll in the chilly evening air.

Winter has not quite left us yet, but you know what, I don't really mind because if it's still winter, that means it's still winter dessert weather!

Last week at Mum and Dad's we had this Spiced Brown Sugar Self Saucing Pudding for dessert and I think Mum described it best when she said it was real winter food. 

This pudding has all the flavour and richness of golden syrup dumplings paired with the lightness and ease of a self saucing pudding. Serve it with a big dollop of cream and you're onto a real winner.

Spiced Brown Sugar Self Saucing Pudding - Serves 4-6
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
200g self raising flour
2 tspns allspice
125g butter, melted
1 egg
125ml milk
1/3 cup treacle
2 tbspn cornflour
1.5 cup of boiling water
Cream and Ice-Cream to serve

Pre-heat oven to 180C and lightly grease a 6-8 cup capacity baking dish.

Combine flour, allspice, butter, egg, milk, 1/3 cup of sugar and half of the treacle in a bowl and beat until smooth. Spoon into prepared dish.

Combine the remaining sugar and cornflour in a bowl and sprinkle evenly over the batter.

Combine the water and remaining treacle in a jug and gently pour over the batter.

Bake for 30-40 mins. Serve with cream and ice-cream.

Enjoy!

Mrs B xx

Eggplant and Mushroom Parmigiana with Polenta and Capsicum Bread

When I was younger Mum did most of the cooking in our house with the occasional appearance of Dad's Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding or, on the nights when Mum was working or away, some creation Dad and I conjured up from our imaginations. But since Mum and Dad have been in the new house I've noticed that the two of them are doing more in the kitchen together and whilst it is funny watching them fighting over a recipe, arguing over who used the last clean cup measure or haggling for bench space, it is also really nice to see them both in there creating stuff together. 

So tonight's dinner is brought to you by my Mum and Dad and in an absolute team effort Mum was in charge of the Eggplant and Mushroom Parmigiana and Dad was in charge of the Polenta and Capsicum Bread.
 

I have seen this recipe for Eggplant and Mushroom Parmigiana many times and I have to admit I always passed it over, but sitting down to it last night, the flavours and the textures were incredible and it quickly became one of my favourite dishes ever. 

To make this for yourself you will need:
250g grated mozarella
1/2 cup grated parmesan
2 eggplants
1.5 cups plain flour
1 tbspn olive oil
Salt and Pepper
1 x onion,diced
200g mushrooms
700g passata
2 cups of panko breadcrumbs

Cut eggplants lengthways into 1cm slices. 
Season flour with salt and pepper and use to coat eggplant.

Heat oil in a fry pan over medium high heat. Shallow fry eggplant in hot oil until golden. Drain well. 
Add the onion to the pan and cook for 1 min. Add mushrooms and cook for 5-7 mins or until softened. Add passata and simmer for 10 mins. 

Layer eggplant slices, tomato and mushroom sauce and mozarella into a lasagne or baking dish, finishing with mozarella.
 
Top with a mixture of breadcrumbs and parmesan. Bake at 200C for 30-40 mins or until golden. Serves 4-6.

Next we have the Polenta and Capsicum Bread.

This is not your average bread recipe as it uses scone mix for the base, but it is dead easy to make and it makes quite a large loaf so if you can manage to exercise some self control, it will last you a few days. There was more than enough here for all of four of us to have several slices with dinner..... and for Mr B and I to take some home....and for Dad to take some in his lunches for the next few days.

This bread was delicious hot out of the oven smothered in butter and I have to say that I just had some cold with a cup of tea and it is just as nice the following day.

To make this Polenta and Capsicum Bread you will need:
535g pkt of scone mix
1/2 cup of polenta
1 cup grated pizza cheese
2 x 75g cans of diced capsicum, drained (or you could use 1 x red and 1 x green capsicum, diced)
1 1/3 cups milk

Pre-heat oven to 200C (180C fan-forced). 
Grease and line a 26x16cm slice tin with baking paper, making sure to leave enough extending over the edges for handles

Combine scone mix and 1/3 cup of the polenta in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and add capsicum,  3/4 cup of cheese and stir in enough milk to make a soft sticky dough. (You may need a little extra milk).
 
Using clean, damp hands press dough evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and polenta. Bake for 20-25mins or until golden and cooked. To test if the bread is cooked, give it a tap, it will sound hollow when it is ready.  

Stand in pan for 2 mins before removing. Slice to serve.
 

Enjoy!

Mrs B xx

Home Made Butter and Buttermilk

You know I am all about making things myself lately.

I think it all started when Mr B brought me the cheese making kit and since then we have gone on in leaps and bounds. I mean my theory is why buy it when you can make it?

Plus the home made version always tastes a million times better then the store brought version - the secret ingredients are pride and satisfaction!

Butter is really not that hard to make, all you need is:

600ml thickened cream
1/2 tspn salt
Electric mixer
Wooden Spoon

Place the cream in the bowl of the electric mixer and beat on low speed for 10-15 mins.

You will notice the cream begin to thicken and then begin to seperate. The big lumps are your butter and the liquid is your buttermilk! Continue beating on low speed until the butter has formed a ball. Pour off the buttermilk. Make sure to keep your buttermilk in the fridge and use it for baking something delicious!

Add a little bit of water to the bowl to wash off the butter. Use the wooden spoon to press and fold the butter, squeezing out as much of the buttermilk as you can. Continue this process until the water pretty much remains clear. Pour the water off.

Add the salt (and any herbs you may want to add) to the butter and stir through. Spoon the butter into a container and store in the fridge.

*If you want to make cultured butter, warm the cream to 20C and pour into a sterilised container. Add 1/4 tspn of mesophilic starter culture and allow to rehydrate for 10-15 mins before stirring well. Leave the cream in a sealed container on your bench overnight. The following morning, proceed as above.

This butter was awesome, it's hard to explain but it just tastes real and natural and I much prefer knowing it was made in my kitchen than buying it and not being entirely sure what preservatives and chemicals are in it.

What are some of your favourite things to make that most people would buy?

Mrs B xx

Our 3rd Birthday!

That's right it's our 3rd birthday!!

So to celebrate I decided to tackle something new and exciting....fondant.

I have never used fondant on any of my baking creations so it seemed like the perfect opportunity to give it a go.

And while we are tackling all things new and exciting, we may as well make the fondant from scratch right?!

This was a joint project between Mr B and myself and quite alot of planning went into it. I was adamant that I wanted the 3 candles and Mr B was adamant that he wanted the pig in mud. Here is our design page with Mr B's original vision for the cake, some of my dud drawings and my list of things we would need!

We spaced this process out over a week.....last Sunday we made the fondant, on Friday I made the mud cake and the pig and covered the cake in ganache and on Monday we decorated and assembled everything. Yes it was time consuming, but for our first attempt at a cake with fondant we were really pleased with the results.

To make the marshmallow fondant you will need:

500g white marshmallows
1kg icing sugar
4 tbspns waters
Butter for greasing

Place the marshmallows in a large mixrowave safe bowl and heat on high for 60 seconds.

Add the water and stir until the mixture is smooth.

Add the icing sugar, 1 cup at a time, until you have a sticky dough. Reserve 1 cup of icing sugar for kneading.

This is where it gets messy.....rub your hands thoroughly with butter and begin kneading the dough. It will seem hopeless and sticky but the mixture will become pliable...trust me.

Turn the mixture out onto a surface dusted with icing sugar and continue to knead. (Don't ask me how but Mr B somehow even ended up with icing sugar all over his back!?) When the fondant is smooth and no longer sticky to touch it is done. This should take roughly 5-10mins.

Form the fondant into a ball and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Store at room temperature. The fondant will last for up to 3 months so it's great to keep on hand. We found that this size recipe made enough to cover and decorate this cake, plus we had enough leftover to do some simple decorations on a second cake.

When you are ready to use the fondant, unwrap and roll it out onto a flat surface dusted with icing sugar.

If you plan on colouring your fondant, break off sections roughly the required size and place in a bowl with 1-2 drops of food colouring. Knead until smooth and the colour is evenly distributed. If you have any issues with the fondant being too stiff, place it in the microwave for 5 seconds to make it more pliable.

I was a bit worried about this mud cake when I pulled it out of the oven, but when we cut into it, it was moist and dense and delicious. And when we heated it up just a smidgen so that the ganache and fondant melted down the sides and served it with a generous dollop of whipped cream,
it was down right heavenly.

To make the Mud Cake you will need:

250g butter
200g dark chocolate

1 tbspn instant coffee
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups plain flour
1 1/4 cups self raising flour
1/4 cup cocoa
375g dark chocolate melts
1/2 cup thickened cream

Pre-heat oven to 150C (130C fan forced). Grease and line a 13 x 9 inch baking pan.

Combine the butter, dark chocolate, 1 cup of water and coffee in a large saucepan over low heat. Cook and stir for 5 mins or until melted. Stir to combine. Allow to cool for 5 mins.

Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Add the sugar, eggs, flours and cocoa powder. Mix well to combine.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Bake for 40 mins. If a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean then the cake is done. If not, give it another 5 mins and test again.

When done, remove from the oven and allow to cool completely in the pan. Once cool, remove from the pan to a serving platter or tray.

Combine the chocolate and cream in a microwave safe jug. Heat in 40 second bursts, stirring in between, until smooth and combined. Allow to cool in the fridge for 30-40 mins or until thickened. It should be a spreadable consistency but if it is too firm, just microwave it for 5 seconds to soften it slightly.

Smooth the ganache over the cooled mudcake with a palette knife to create smooth even surfaces and corners. I had enough ganache left over to do the mud puddle on top of the cake and to do the candles. You can cover the cake with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for up to a week at this point.

For the candles, I used 3 x mini chocolate sponge rolls. I left 1 at full size and cut one so it was 3/4 height and one so it was 1/2 size.

Cover the rolls in ganache and allow to set in the fridge.

To finish the candles off, I rolled them in a strip of fondant to create a base. Then I stuck an actual candle into the centre of the chocolate roll, ensuring the wick was still exposed. And the final step is to melt some of the leftover fondant and drizzle it over the top, being careful not to cover the wick, to create the 'dripping wax' effect.

 For the pig, I made a very small batch of rice krispies and moulded them in a small bowl lined with greased cling wrap. This formed the base for the head which we then covered in fondant and we also used fondant for the ears, eyes, nose, feet and tail.

Now to put this whole schamozzle together, you need to start by removing your mudcake from the fridge and allowing it to come to room temperature.

 

In the mean time, take your coloured fondant and place on a flat surface well dusted with icing sugar. Roll out with a rolling pin until roughly 3mm thick.

 

Roll the fondant back over the rolling pin and use that to help you lay it out over the cake. Make sure the top of the cake is nice and smooth before pressing the corners down. Then move onto the edges and get them all pressed down. Press and smooth the fondant along the sides of your cake to ensure a nice even surface. This is where we got really nervous, but it wasn't as hard as we thought.

 

Ta-Da! And when we were done, it looked like this and we were super impressed. And with all the hard work out of the way, it was time to decorate. 

 

 

First I used some left over ganache to make a mud puddle and added the little piglet while Mr B made some grass to go around the edges. 

 

Then we placed the candles and topped it all off with some chocolate writing and some little butterflies (even if everyone else does insist on calling them flowers!)

 

Happy Birthday!! Thank you to everyone who drops by and reads my ramblings and thank you to Mr B, Mum, Dad and everyone else that supports me in my baking madness!

 

Mrs B xx