Ingredients:

For the filling:

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

¾ cup creamy peanut butter

4 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature

½ tsp. vanilla extract

For the cake:

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

1 cup sour cream

2 tbsp. milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature

1½ cups sugar

2 large eggs

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350° F.  Line two cupcake pans with paper liners.

To make the filling, combine the confectioners’ sugar, peanut butter, butter and vanilla extract in a bowl.  Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until well combined.  Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls (at least 24) and set aside on a baking sheet.

To make the cake batter, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl; whisk together and set aside.  In a liquid measuring cup, stir together the sour cream, milk and vanilla extract.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar, and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed.  With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and the sour cream mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.  Mix just until incorporated.

Spoon a tablespoon or two of batter into the bottom of each cupcake liner.  Place a ball of the peanut butter filling in each cupcake well and top with the remaining batter so that all the cups are filled.  Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Allow to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

1 cup creamy peanut butter

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/3 cup heavy cream

Place the confectioners’ sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as you work. Add the cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.

INGREDIENTS

Pillsbury German Chocolate Cake Mix

Pillsbury Coconut Pecan Frosting

Dark, Milk, or Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips {I prefer Semi-Sweet}

Flaked Coconut

Chopped Pecans

INSTRUCTIONS

Bake the cake according to the box directions. Allow it to cool, then crumble it into a large bowl.

Mix in the can of frosting – it’s best to do this with your hands. I mush it all together until it’s really well combined and has uniform texture.

Roll the “dough” into balls – I like them just slightly larger than 1″ each. Chill them. While they’re firming up in the frig, melt the chocolate in the microwave in a glass bowl.

Dip the chilled balls in the melted chocolate then place them on wax paper. Sprinkle with coconut and chopped pecans before the chocolate sets.

After they’re “dry”… enjoy! Try not to eat too many at once!

Ingredients :

·         Cinnamon ½ teaspoon

·         1 teaspoon of organic honey

·         200 ml of water

INSTRUCTIONS :

Stir boiling water with cinnamon and let marinate for 30 minutes. Once cooled water, add honey and place your drink in the refrigerator. Eat 1 cup of this drink before sleeping.

You must not eat anything after consuming the drink and you do not need to drink during the day, because water with honey and cinnamon is effective only if you eat before going to sleep.

Benefits :

Honey :

Rich in calcium, vitamin B, potassium, phosphorus, sodium, magnesium and water, honey is a natural sweetener intense sweetening power, allowing to consume in small quantities. It helps to lose weight, provides a laxative effect, promotes the feeling of satiety, boosts energy and reduces sugar cravings. In addition, honey is absorbed slowly by the body, unlike white sugar.

Cinnamon :

Cinnamon is a spice with a thousand virtues ... It reduces cholesterol, increases blood flow and prevent health problems related to the heart, stomach and intestines. Cinnamon also helps burn fat accumulated in different parts of the body, including the stomach.

On the other hand, consume honey / cinnamon mixture helps to:

·         Boosting immune system

·         Fight colds and flu

·         Cure stomach aches

·         Prevent and soothe arthritis

·         Prevent stomach cancer

·         Decrease the sensation of fatigue

Ingredients

Shortbread

160g plain flour

60g caster sugar

115g unsalted butter (cubed)

Caramel

397g condensed milk (1 tin)

100g light brown soft sugar

2 tbsp golden syrup

100g unsalted butter

Topping

200g milk chocolate

2 Crunchie Bars

Preheat the oven to 180C, and grease and line an 18cm square tin. Place the shortbread ingredients in a food processor and blitz together until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. If you have to do it by hand, ensure that the butter is hard and rub them all together with your fingers until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. Pour into the tin, press down firmly and prick all over with a fork (to prevent from rising in the oven). Place in the fridge for 30 minutes, then put in the oven for 30 minutes until it has just turned golden brown. If it does rise in the oven, just prick it slightly when you take it out. Leave to cool completely in the tin.To make the caramel, put all the ingredients in a pan and place over a medium heat. Bring to the boil (stirring continuously), and then boil for a further 8 – 10 minutes, stirring all the time until it is thick and pale. Pour the caramel over the shortbread and allow to cool for 45 minutes.Melt the milk chocolate either over a pan of boiling water or in the microwave. Pour over the caramel layer and spread evenly with a spatula. Crush the Crunchie bars and sprinkle all over the melted chocolate. Place in the fridge and leave to firm up for at least 2 hours (or ideally overnight). Slice into squares with a sharp knife and store in the fridge – they should last for up to 1 week.It does take awhile to make these (as each layer needs to set before you can start the next one), but they are perfect to satisfy chocolate cravings. Next time I make these, I will probably half the ingredients of the caramel layer and use 300g of chocolate instead, but that is just a personal preference. Enjoy 🙂

Carrot cake

1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 1/4 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons cornstarch

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs

3 tablespoons whole milk

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup turbinado sugar

3/4 cup canola oil

2 1/4 cups finely shredded carrots (from about 8 medium carrots)

Blueberry milk crumbs

3/4 cup nonfat dry milk

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 ounces (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

3 ounces (1/2 cup) white chocolate

35 grams freeze-dried blueberries (I got these at Trader Joe's and used the entire package)

Blueberry preserves

1 pint (~2 cups) fresh blueberries

1 tablespoon freshly-squeezed orange juice

1/2 teaspoon orange zest

1 teaspoon cornstarch

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

Cream cheese frosting

12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

2 ounces (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

2/3 cup confectioners sugar, sifted

Special equipment

6" cake ring

Two 4" x 20" pieces of acetate

7" cardboard cake round

All of these are available at cake supply stores

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Carrot cake

Heat oven to 350 F and a place a rack in the middle of the oven.  Line a 9" x 13" pan with parchment (butter or lightly oil the bottom of the pan, place the parchment on top, then grease and dust with flour) and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the whole wheat pastry flour, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt.

Add the eggs, milk, vanilla, granulated sugar, and turbinado sugar to a large bowl and whisk for 30 seconds.  Add the oil and whisk until well-combined.

Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined.  Add the shredded carrots and mix until combined.

Pour the batter into the pan, then bang the pan a few times on the counter to remove any air bubbles and level the batter.

Bake until the top is light golden and a toothpick comes out with a few small crumbs attached, about 25 minutes.  Let the cake cool fully in the pan.  Run an offset spatula around the edges of the cake and turn it out onto a wire rack, then peel off the parchment.  Set the cake aside.

The cake can be made several days ahead and stored in the refrigerator wrapped tightly in plastic wrap.

Blueberry milk crumbs

Lower the oven temperature to 200.

Combine 1/2 cup of the dry milk, flour, cornstarch, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl.  Stir in the melted butter until all of the dry ingredients are absorbed.  Transfer the mixture to a small sheet pan and bake, stirring every few minutes, until the milk crumbs are light golden brown, about 12 minutes.

A few minutes before the milk crumbs are done, melt the white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl (I did this in two 25-second bursts and stirred well after the second round).  

Transfer the milk crumbs to a medium bowl.  Add the remaining 1/4 cup dry milk to the bowl and stir well to combine.  Add the melted white chocolate and stir well.  Put the bowl in the fridge and stir the mixture every 5 minutes.  Once the white chocolate has solidified, break up any large pieces into pea-sized chunks.

Pulverize the freeze-dried blueberries either in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.  Add the powdered blueberries (about 5 tablespoons) to the milk crumbs and mix well to combine.

Refrigerate until ready to use.

Blueberry preserves

Add all the ingredients to a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until 2/3 of the berries have burst and the mixture is thick, about 10 minutes.  Transfer the preserves to a small bowl and set aside.

Cream cheese frosting

Add the cream cheese to a medium bowl and beat well until very smooth.  Add the butter and vanilla and beat well until incorporated.  Add the sugar and beat until combined.  Set aside.

Assemble the cake

Use a 6" cake ring to cut two circles out of the carrot cake.  For the first circle, position the ring so that the right side is in the center of the cake and the bottom edge is nearly flush with the bottom edge of the cake.  Cut the second circle similarly, with the left side of the ring at the center of the cake.  Use a large offset spatula to transfer the two cake rounds to a wire rack.  Cut a crescent shape out of the remaining cake by positioning the ring above one of the cut out circles, with the top edge of the ring aligned with the top edge of the cake.  Cut another piece of cake, this time with the bottom edge of the ring aligned with the top edge of one of the cut out circles.  (See this tutorial in the Washington Post for some tips on cutting the cake rounds and assembling the cake.)

Wipe the ring clean, then center it on a 7" cardboard cake round set on a small plate  Line the ring with one of the acetate strips.  

Place one cake round in the bottom of the ring and press it so that it fits snugly. 

Ingredients:

400g Plain flour

50g Unsalted butter

1/8 tsp Fine salt

220g Water

(B)

300g Pastry margarine (I used only 250g)

Method:

Mix (A) to form a smooth dough. Let it rest for 15mins.

Roll out the dough into cross shape with the centre thicker and the four limbs thinner.

Place the pastry margarine onto the centre of the dough. Wrap it up.

Roll out the dough into a 10mm thickness and fold once. Let it rest for 15mins. (I skipped the resting part as I missed it when reading the instructions. It worked fine for me too.)

Turn the dough 90 degrees. Repeat step (4), four more times.

Roll out the dough into 3-mm thick. Cut the sheet into half.

For one of the half, roll it up like swiss roll. Chill till firm.

For the other half, fold them like an envelope and refrigerate for future use.

Egg Fillings

(Makes enough for half of the puff pastry above only.)