Bakewell Banana Muffins

It's been a long week in my house, with multiple exams and essays due the majority of the week and the entire weekend was spent in front of computers, pouring over books and grabbing snacks. It's that time of year isn't it? end of the school year is approaching and with it all the more challenging aspects of assessment. You might think that there wouldn't be any time for baking but these little beauties take about 10 minutes to throw together and can be done in one bowl, one cup, one muffin tin and a frying pan. So not too much mess. Baking also relieves stress which is extremely important and, if you needed another reason, these make a perfect snack or breakfast on the go.

Bakewell Banana Muffins

3 lrg (or 4 medium) over ripe banans
2 tbs raspberry yoghurt
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbs honey/agave nectar
1 tsp lemon juice
100g whole meal flour
90g self-raising flour (you could go for 190g whole meal if you want)
60g ground almonds
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder

Glaze                                                               

2 tbs raspberry jam
1 tsp lemon juice

Crumble
25g ground almonds
1 tbs icing sugar

1 - Prehet your oven to 180'. Mush your bananas
     and then add your yoghurt, eggs, vanilla
     extract, honey and lemon juice. Mix until
     well combined

2- Add your flours, baking soda/powder and ground almonds and mix to combine

3- Line your baking tray and fill with the mixture

4 - Bake for 15 minutes until browned.

5 - On a frying pan heat your remaining ground almonds until they start to brown, then remove from
     the heat and add the icing sugar, mix thoroughly, return to the heat for 30 seconds and keep
     mixing vigorously and then remove from the pan.

6- In a cup heat your jam and lemond juice in the microwave for 30 seconds and then spoon over the cooling muffins. Pour your crumble over the glaze and your done, just enjoy, keep calm and keep going =)

Easter Weekend means Chocolate: Turtle Brownies

This Easter weekend could have been awful, it was the first one I've ever spent away from my family and since my mum pretty much makes Easter Sunday the best, this was a pretty big decision. But instead of being a disaster Easter weekend was absolutely lovely. I got not one but two Easter egg hunts and more than that I got quality time with friends and my bf which was really enjoyable. On Saturday we went to a lovely Easter BBQ with an outdoor egg hunt. It was so much fun and the food was absolutely delicious. So of course I had to contribute something baked but we'll get back to that. Sunday I used the magic of Skype to have breakfast with my family and then had the most amazing chilled day. The weather here was absolutely awful on Sunday but after a few weeks of running around a day of being confined indoors while rivers of rain splatter your window, some blissful relaxation (read watching frozen) and the remains of my baked goods were the perfect combination. So what was the fitting baked good for this weekend of enjoyment - well you know it's got to involve chocolate.

How bout adding some caramel? maybe some nuts?

Any ideas?

It's Turtles Brownie

I've made brownies a few time, including recently with low fat versions. These versions are inspired by the delicious DeMets Turtles and some delicious sea salt caramel brownies I saw on littlerosebook back in January. Previously I have always made a more cakey brownie but since these were to be turtles brownies which are american, it only felt right to use an american recipe. So I adapted a recipe from the hummingbird bakery

Spring Cupcakes

Something different for your Easter table

Spring is really in the air around here and there's a part of me that is already in summer mode which basically results in me leaving the house in wildly inappropriate summer outfits and then shivering for the day. I'm not ashamed I love summer, summer heat and winter cold, both the extremes, not the middle seasons. However that said it is spring and I need to accept that. There is one part of spring that I absolutely love and that is Easter. During Easter chocolate is everywhere and I will not break the  with this tradition too much as I intend to have some delicious chocolate treat up next week. However sometimes it is nice to have an alternative and these delicious spring cupcakes could be a refreshing alternative to chocolate or a delicious (completely un-related to Easter) spring treat. They combine zesty moist lemon cupcakes with delicately sweet blueberry frosting. I went with my favourite rose frosting style but notice the little flecks making it look more like a real flower.

Healthy Flapjacks for my Dad's Birthday

Yesterday was my Dad's birthday and I'm celebrating from abroad. Last year I made him a skiing cake but this year I'm making something I'm hoping he would like for his birthday or as a healthy snack. When we were growing up I remember my parents making flapjacks and showing us how to make an oat crumble pie topping in a similar way. These are delicious memories and I love flapjacks but they are not the healthiest of foods. My Dad loves healthy foods and is very active. He cycles up mountains and every Sunday morning while the rest of us are sleeping in, him and my mum are out walking. So I've made a healthier version of the flap-jacks based on my brownie recipe.