Melting Moments

I adore these biscuits and have been making them with my mum since I was a child. They are so deliciously soft and melt in the mouth and perfect for afternoon tea,
This recipe I have perfected over the years from her recipe.

Ingredients:
250g butter
1/3 cup icing sugar
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1/2 cup custard powder
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tbl cornflour

filling:
100g butter
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
zest of half a lemon (I use a microplaner to get a small thin zest)
juice of one medium lemon

Method:
Beat the butter and sugar together till its light and fluffy, reduce mixer to medium speed and add vanilla essence, sifted flours and powder.  When all combined put into a piping bag with a star nozzle and pipe small cookies or alternatively roll out little balls and press lightly with a floured fork.

Bake in a moderate oven (180 degrees) for 12-15 minutes or until lightly golden,
Let cool

Filling method:
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, add the juice and zest and mix until combined.
Pipe onto one side of a cookie and sandwich another cookie of similar size on the top.

Store in an airtight container out of the fridge for around 4 days.

Enjoy :)

Peanut Butter Florentines

I have come across two types of florentines in this world, the toffee variety with a handful of almonds and fruit and the corn flake ones, both of which I love!  This recipe uses the latter, a crunchy mix of corn flakes, fruit, nuts and condensed milk and in this case peanut butter!

Ingredients:

3 cups cornflakes

1/2 cup sultanas

1/4 cup raisins

can condensed milk

120g slithered almonds

100g glace cherries (cut in half or quarters)

1 can condensed milk

1/2 cup peanut butter

50g melted butter

250g dark chocolate

30g copha

In a bowl add 2 cups of the cornflakes as well as the sultanas, raisins, almonds and cherries and mix together.  In another bowl mix the condensed milk, peanut butter and melted butter together. Add this mix to the dry ingredients and mix together. Then add the other cup of cornflakes and lightly mix. (The reason I do this is as in the first mix the cornflakes get a bit crushed, this way you still have a few larger flakes in the cookies)

You can then do what I did and get a cookie mould (I used a heart) and add a tablespoon of mixture into each mould and press into shape, or make balls of mixture and flatten onto cooking trays lined with greaseproof paper.

I made mine quite thick, about 1cm, the thinner you make them the crunchier they are.  Mine have crunchy tops and sides but are soft and slightly chewey inside.

Cook at 180 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until lightly brown.

When cool remove from oven and let cool on trays.

Melt the chocolate and copha together (either over the stove on low or in the microwave on medium heat)

once melted dip the base of each cookie into the chocolate and scrap off any excess. place back on the grease proof paper or on a sheet of foil to cool.

Enjoy.

Notes for next time:

I might melt the butter, condensed milk and peanut butter in a pot on the stove and caramelise before adding to the dry ingredients...

Peanut butter slice

You're lucky theres an image of this slice before it was all eaten!

OK, I am not going to beat about the bush with this one... It's Amazing!!! but with Amazing comes calories!!!  Try stopping at one piece... you can't but if you cut the pieces small enough it's ok ;-)

Have you tried the peanut butter slice from Mrs Fields?? well this is as good if not better than that!!
I got the peanut middle part recipe from the ever talented Nigella and tweaked it a bit (as I do)

Ingredients:
For the base:
packet of chocolate ripple bisuits
120g melted butter

Middle layer:
70g dark muscovado sugar
180g icing sugar
60g butter
200g smooth peanut butter

Top layer:
300g milk chocolate (I use cadburys, around 1.5 blocks)
1 tbls butter
1/4 cup cream

Method:
Line the base of a slice tray (around 18x24cm or there abouts) with grease proof paper, you might like to add some butter to the tray first to keep the paper in place.

Base:  Using a food processor crush the biscuits till they form small crumbs.  Note: you can put the biscuits in a zip lock bag (let the air out first!!) and hit them with a rolling pin or a potato masher if you don't have a food processor
melt the butter in a jug in the microwave for around 40 seconds then add to your crushed biscuits.
Add the mixture to the tray and push down till its flat.  Put it in the fridge

Middle: Add 50g of the muscovado sugar and all the icing sugar, butter and peanut butter to a mixing bowl.  Beat on high till its light and fluffy. Add the remaining muscovado sugar and mix together by hand.  There will be small lumps of the muscovado sugar but thats ok.
Spread over the chilled base and refridgerate again.

Top:  Melt the chocolate in a glass bowl on low in the microwave (I use 50%) for about a minute, stir then back in the microwave for another minute on low, stir, if not melted add back in again on low for 20 second intervals till melted.  You do not want to over cook your chocolate!
Alternatively you can melt on low on the stove in a non stick pot.
add the butter and let it melt, then add your cream and mix.  This should make a thick runny consistency, if not add a little bit more cream till it does.  Pour over your peanut butter layer and refridgerate till set.

Cut into small squares once set and enjoy.

Cheese and Bacon muffins

Here's a recipe I have been perfecting over the past year.  My friend Andrea suggested chives last attempt so I have added that to the line up too!  If you give them a go and have a suggestion feel free to leave a comment below.

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups plain flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 2 teaspoons mustard powder
• 1 tablespoon vegetta
• 60g butter melted
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• a handful of fresh chives cut up, or a few good shakes from the jar of the dried variety
• a handful of fresh parsley or like above a few good shakes of the dried kind
• 120g grated carrot (around 2 medium carrots) dont worry if you go a bit over
• 150g cheese (mix it up, I used 100g tasty, 20g parmesan and half a block of danish fetta from the deli)
• 10 spring onions
• 30g salami (adds a bit of kick but omit if you don't have any or don't like it)
• 8 pieces rindless bacon 

Method:
Cut up your bacon and salami and fry in a pan till lightly brown (do not over cook as they will be hard)
To a large bowl sift in your flour, baking powder, mustard powder and vegetta. Make a well in the centre and add your melted butter and eggs. Mix.
Add the rest of your ingredients and mix together (saving some grated tasty for the top of the muffins)

Grease your muffin trays, I used a small mini muffin tray with 24 holes and a regular muffin pan with 6 holes.
Add tablespoons of mixture to each hole, only filling around 3/4 full and add a small amount of tasty cheese to the top of each one (grate some more if you need to) I also like to add some sesame seeds on the top too.

Bake the small ones in a moderate oven (180 degrees) for 18-20 minutes or until lightly brown.
The larger muffins will take around 25 minutes.

These muffins lasted around 3 days in an airtight container and were perfect for dinner that night with a salad on the side as well as my sons school lunches for the next few days!  Perfect!

Bella with the small muffins

 Bella loved to add the cheese to the top and help mix it all together.  She loves crumbling up the fetta too!