chocolate orange nakd bars

A quick healthy recipe that's still delish. Makes 5 bars. 150 calories per bar.

Ingredients:

100g pitted dates

60g cashew nuts

47g raisins

10g coconut flour (optional, however gives better flavour)

15g cocoa powder

1 tsp orange rind

1 tsp orange extract

Method:

Put all of the ingredients into a food processor and whiz until the bowl is filled with a fine powder that sticks together when 'smooshed' with fingers. Once mixed, place into a small tin lined with cling film and press down firmly with fingers.Chill in the fridge for around 20 minutes and then slice into bars. Easy, right? These bars can be kept for around a week if in the fridge. Perfect for snacking or a healthy dessert. 

Honey, where have you been?

Honey, where have you been?

I was spending some time at my friend's house eating baked potatoes the other week when I came across this GODSEND of a sauce! Being me, as soon as my tastebuds got a try, I had to go out and buy my own the very next day. I think the bottle was around 2 pounds, and trust me, it is so worth it! Marks and Spencer Honey & Mustard Dressing is now a staple with most of my grub, it's just heavenly!  Although I wouldn't be suprised if it doesn't last me very long. Mmmmmm...

Corr.. Coffee Cake!

Corr.. Coffee Cake!     

 Makes one medium sized cake    Prepare time: 10 minutes    Bake time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

Cake:

- 125g caster sugar

- 125g butter

- 125g self-raising flour

- 2 eggs

- 2tbsp instant coffee (dissolved in 100ml water) 

- 1tbsp baking powder

- Chocolate buttons or walnut halves to decorate

Icing:

- 150g butter

- 200g Icing sugar

Method:

- Preheat the oven to 170C.      

- Beat the butter and sugar together, until creamed.

- Crack in one off the eggs, mix, and repeat with the second egg.

- Sift the flour and baking powder and stir together until nicely mixed.                              

- Next, beat half of the dissolved coffee into the mixture, you will save the rest for icing.  

- Spoon the mixture into two greased sponge tins and cook for 25-30 minutes and leave to cool.

- For the icing, beat the butter until softened and then add in the icing sugar. After that add the remaining coffee mixture. If the icing is looking a little runny, beat in more icing sugar until you get the consistency desired.

- Once the cake has fully cooled, sandwich the two halves together with icing and level the icing neatly across the top.

- Decorate with chocolate buttons or walnut halves either going round the edge of cake top or completely covering it.

Enjoy your cake with a, guess if you can, cup of coffee! Or it can be simply eaten on it's own as delicious sweet treat. Keep in air-tight container or tin to pro-long the life of your cracking coffee collaboration!                                       

            

  

Cinnamon Rock Cake Recipe

   cinnamon rock cakes

    

      Makes around 24 rock cakes    Prepare time: 10 minutes    Bake time: 15 minutes

                                Ingredients:

                                    - 450g self-raising flour

          - 230g demerara sugar

          - 230g butter

          - 230g sultanas

          - 2 eggs

          - 2tbsp cinnamon

          - a splash of milk

        Method:

- With a fork, beat the eggs in separate bowl and set aside.      

- Sieve the flour and the cinnamon into the mixing bowl and stir well.

- Preheat the oven 175C

         - Add the butter to the flour and rub together with your fingers to make breadcrumbs.                              

- Next, mix in all of the sultanas and demerara.  

- Pour in the beaten eggs and mix. If the dough is quite dry (more often than not) add in a little milk.   

- Onto a large or two average sized greased baking trays, dollop the mixture into 24 generous sized amounts.

- Bake for around 15 minutes. The result should be golden brown, fragrant rock cakes.

Enjoy served with tea, jam and clotted cream warm from the oven for a true British experience or eat cool on their own. If kept in air-tight container cakes should last up to a week, if not eaten!