Muffin Tops... The Good Kind!

We're always worrying about those few extra pounds and trying to shake ones muffin top. I am the same, but I still have to take something sweet to work with me. Instead of going for the processed choccy biscuits or cakes or sweets. This cinnamon and orange muffin recipe I have adapted from one of my recipe books is yummy warming and I know where all the ingredients come from.





Ingredients

125g Butter
5tbsp Golden Syrup
125g Dark Muscovado Sugar
225g Self Raising Flour
1tsp Baking Powder
1tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1/2 Grated Orange2 Eggs
125ml Milk


Put the butter, syrup and sugar in a large saucepan and heat gently, stirring until the butter has melted. Mix the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl. beat the eggs and milk in a separate bowl.

Remove the saucepan from the heat, then beat in the flour mixture. Then gradually beat in the egg mixture and finally the grated orange.

I used an ice cream scoop to evenly divide the mixture between 12 muffin cases. Bake in a pre-heated oven, 160℃ for a fan oven and 180℃ for 10-15 minutes until well risen and cracked. Leave to cool in the tin for 10minutes then transfer to a cooling rack.

Christmas Is Coming!

I know it's early but is it really? Halloween is long gone behind us and Christmas is looming. Preserves always need a bit of time to mature I think. So I've made my mincemeat in plenty of time so all the flavours can infuse and enhance.

My recipe is from Good Housekeeping this year. On making it I have decided a few changes are needed. The following recipe is my updated version.

Ingredients

450g Bramley Apples, peeled cored and cut into 0.5cm chunks
Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon and 1/2 an orange
200ml medium cider
150g soft brown sugar
1 tsp mixed spice
150g raisins
150g currants
75g glace cherries chopped into 1/4
2 tbspns Gran Marnier

Method

1) Prepare 4 jars. Boil water in a kettle and fill each jar with about a cm of water. Put in the microwave for 1min. Pour out the water and dry. 

2) Put the apples, zest and juice, cider and Gran Marnier in a pan. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10mins.

3) Take pan off the heat. Add the sugar, raisins, spice and currants. Stir and let cool slightly.

4) Spoon mixture into the jars and tap on the side to make sure there are no air bubbles. Place a round of greaseproof paper on top of each jar. 

Mini Fancies

I love miniature things. They seem a tad more quaint and have much more appeal. So I have put together a small compilation of mini treats. These are great party pieces or can be wrapped and given as token gifts.

• Marshmallow Petits Fours
• White Chocolate Cups with a Chocolate Hazelnut Filling
• Homemade Marshmallows 
• Mini Biscuit Lodge

Chocolate Marshmallow Petits Fours 

Marshmallow Petits Fours - These are so easy to make and with a little imagination an really look great. They turned out so well they were all eaten before I had a chance to take a picture of them.... So here is the picture that inspired me, click on the link below to have a peek!

White Chocolate and Nutella Cups 

These White Chocolate Nutella Cups are amazing - one of the Good Housekeeping Christmas gift ideas - click on the link below to check out the recipe. It's so simple and so cheap to do. 

The Snowy Biscuit Lodge cup topper is a real cute idea. It's a bit fiddly but really very sweet and can be decorated in so many ways. Click Here - to find a gingerbread recipe and templates.

 

Marshmallow Clouds - There are a lot of Marshmallow recipes floating around at the moment. It seems to be the latest fad in baking. Once again, I followed the Good Housekeeping recipe found here. My advice with making marshmallows: definitely use a sugar thermometer, they can be bought very cheaply, also this recipe calls for a standing mixer. One needs to be careful when working with sugar, it gets super hot and can give really bad burns if you catch it on your skin. One of the tricks with handling the marshmallow once it is in the dish and set is to make sure your hands have plenty of icing sugar on them otherwise it will stick to you! One last ingredient I would use for the outside icing sugar coating is Snow Sugar. It is basically a type of icing sugar that does not melt/go sticky. Just type in Snow Sugar to Amazon or Google and it will come up. 

Mini Marshmallow Clouds