Chocolate Amaretto Cake. Mmmmmmm.

This cake is seriously good! In fact, a colleague of mine described it as 'divine'. How can you not make this!?!

I found this recipe in 'The Complete Magnolia Bakery Cookbook'. The Magnolia Bakery is a supercool bakery in New York - I haven't been there ............... yet. The recipe says to bake it in a 10 inch bundt pan. However, I baked it in 3 sandwich tins & layered it with chocolate ameretto buttercream. Next time I'll also layer toasted flaked almonds with the buttercream, it will give it a nice texture.

If you're wondering what on earth I put on top of the cake - I attempted to make fondant roses. They were okay. More practice needed. Crushed amaretti biscuits or flaked almonds would probably be better.

I used silicone sandwich tins but I think hard ones would be better.

Mmmmm amaretto (also very good with diet coke!!)

Recipe (adapted from The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook):

Cake:

2 cups plain flour

1 tsp bicarb of soda

1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

1 cup caster sugar

1 cup (tightly packed) light brown sugar

4 large eggs at room temperature

6 oz dark choc (I used 40% cocoa)

1 cup milk

3 tsp almond extract

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 tblsp Amaretto liqueur

Buttercream:

300g icing sugar

100g unsalted butter at room temperature

40g cocoa powder

a glug of amaretto

Cake. Melt the chocolate in a glass bowl over simmering water (don't let the bowl touch the water).

Preheat oven to 350F/180C/gas mark 4. Line your pans with greaseproof paper. In a bowl sift together the flour & baking soda. Set aside.

In another bowl (a big one!) cream the butter & sugar with an electirc whisk until light & fluffy. Add the eggs 1 at a time, mixing well after each one. Allow the melted chocolate to cool a little (chocolate scrambled eggs anyone?) & slowly add it to your wet mix making sure it is well incorporated.

Add the dry ingredients in thirds, alternating with the milk & extracts folding well after each addition. Add the amaretto. Your mixture should be smooth.

Add your mix to your tin/tins & cook for 45-50 mins if using 1 big tin or 30 mins if using small tins. Cover with foil halfway through baking. Let them cool in the tins before turning them out. DO NOT use buttercream on warm cakes it will run faster than Linford Christie doing the 100m. I'm showing my age aren't I?!

Buttercream. Just mix the butter with sugar & cocoa powder with an electric whisk. Start slow or it will go everywhere! Add the amaretto til it is the consistency of grouting for tiles. Taste as you go (you have my permission), if the amaretto flavour is getting strong & it's still too thick, use a few drops of milk.

Layer & enjoy!!!!!!

What I've been up to lately ......

I went to Manchester and bought a Martha Stewart magazine. Oh yeah and a packet of Reece's Pieces. Contained in this innocent looking magazine is the recipe for Corn Dogs - oh yeah!

I made cupcakes.

I even bought the dogs a red, white and blue tugger.

Whilst in Manchester I visited Sweet Tooth cupcakery. I had a Joni Mitchell (below, vanilla cake with a maple syrup frosting) and an amaretto milkshake. Yum.

The Boss had an Iggy Pop (below, vanilla cake with a peanut butter frosting).

The Boss treated me to a PB and cookie Twix and Cherry Pepsi (we found these in Powerplay in Leicester). The 'soda' is special as I first had it on the holiday where I fell in love with american food back in 2000. I would have french toast and a can of cherry pepsi every morning. Good times.

I went to Cardiff and bought these lovely things. OMG Tootsie Rolls are goooood!

Butterfingers ... not so good.

I was particularly proud of this find. Louisiana Hot Sauce in the corner shop near work! Totally random but good in an omlette!

As you can tell - food is always on my mind and there are more recipe's coming your way soon including ....... CAKE POPS!!! HELL YEAH!!!

Spaghetti and Meatballs!!

I know, I know. Technically It's Italian. But Spaghetti and Meatballs always reminds me of New York Italian's who run pizza business' and are scared of their Mum's. Stereotypical, moi??!!

Say it with an accent (meeet-booooaaaals) there you go. This recipe has no tomatoes in it. It has some puree but the sauce is made from roasted peppers (the one's you buy in a jar) and it is tasty! The recipe puts mozzarella in the middle of the meatballs - you could leave it out if you want to. So roll up your sleeves and lets get cracking!!!

Recipe (adapted from Mince! by Mitzie Wilson):

Meatballs:

500g minced beef

A large glug of BBQ sauce (I use Jack Daniel's)

50g fresh breadcrumbs ( I use egg if there's no bread in the house)

1 clove of garlic, crushed

small handful of fresh parsley, chopped (really easy to grow in the garden)

1 tsp dried oregano

75g mozzarella

salt and pepper

oil to seal the meatballs

Sauce:

1 small onion, diced (doesn't have to be fancy as we are blending it)

2 roasted red peppers from a jar, diced

2 tbsp tomato puree

splash of orange or lemon juice

200ml beef stock (oxo will do)

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Meatballs. Mix all of the ingredients needed for the meatballs except the mozzarella. To make the meatballs ooze with cheese they need to be quite big, the size of a golf ball will do. If your not using the cheese, any size you like - you can roll them up and put straight into the frying pan to seal.

Cut the mozzarella into chunks. Flatten each ball in turn and place some cheese into the centre. Fold the meat around the cheese and pinch well to close the meatball.

Seal in a hot frying pan on all sides until brown (about 5 -10 mins).

Sauce. Fry the onion in oil or the pan juices from the meatballs until soft. Add the tomato puree and peppers and cook for 1 min. Add the balsamic vinegar and orange/lemon juice. Make up your stock.

Put your mixture and a little of the stock into a blender and blend til smooth (I use a hand blender). Put the blended sauce into a large pan and stir in the remaining stock.

Add the meatballs to the sauce making sure they are covered (swirl the pan around like a pro) and cook for 10 mins. I put the meat into the sauce at the same time as I put the pasta on. Spaghetti takes 10 mins (set the timer).

When the pasta is cooked, add a ladle of the sauce and mix. Dish out the pasta with the meatballs and extra sauce on top. MMMmmmmmmmmmm.

Really, there's no need to thank me, just enjoy!

Buttermilk Pancakes (courtesy of the Boss)!

Let's get one thing clear - I don't make pancakes. I patiently and excitedly wait for the Boss to make them for me. That's love! And always on a Saturday morning!

Recipe (from the joyofbaking.com):

1 cup of plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp bicarb of soda

pinch of salt

2 tblsp sugar (I use caster)

1 large egg

1 cup of buttermilk (bought or homemade ie. milk and lemon juice)

3 tblsp unsalted butter melted

butter for the pan

Mix together the dry ingredients in a bowl.

In another bowl (or jug) mix together the egg, buttermilk and melted butter (the boss adds a few drops of vanilla extract here, yumcious).

Add the wet mix to the dry and whisk until just combined. Do not worry about lumps, you want fluffy pancakes not rock hard ones!!

Heat a frying pan to med high using some butter (be careful not to burn it and use a pan that doesn't get used for anything else otherwise your pancakes will taste like the chicken you fried last week!!)

Use a ladle to measure out the pancakes (whichever size you want) the mixture will be thick but that's ok, you want thick American pancakes not crepes!

Flip when lightly brown on the bottom and you have bubbles appear on the top. They only take a couple of minutes each side!

We find these make 5 good sized pancakes (don't worry about burning the first one - it always happens in this house. It's the practise one!)

To serve we use chopped pecans, sliced banana and maple syrup - OMG it's gooooood! But be creative, you could cook some fruit into the pancakes ie. cherries, blueberries, apple (cook it first) and cinnamon, berries ...... the list is endless!

There is never any left!!!

Banana Fluffer-Nutter!

Are you hungry?

Are you in a hurry?

Is your Mum/Partner/Kids moaning that you don't get your 5 a day?

Introducing the Banana Fluffer-Nutter! Those of you with a dirty mind - stop sniggering please. This is serious.

I found this recipe on the jar of Fluff I bought from Birmingham but I added the banana. Fruit is good. So is brown bread.

Just slop the fluff (or marshmallows) & peanut butter on the bread - slice the banana nice, but not too thick. Wrap it up & take it anywhere! I take mine to work.

I hear a picnic calling.

Cinnamon Rolls -Breakfast Rocks!

Have you seen that advert in which they say 'There's nothing like breakfast in New York'.

They're right y'know. There isn't. So the next best thing is to bring American breakfasts into my Leicester kitchen.

Do you remember my first post? Then you will know my love of American food began there & my, oh my did I LOVE breakfasts there.

Ok so I didn't eat cinnamon rolls because I couldn't go 1 day without pancakes & a malt shake. I just couldn't!

But hey, I love cinnamon & icing so much I decided to try it for myself. Don't ask about the first batch, just don't, but the second batch were yumcious!

Here's the recipe (from about.com):

Cinnamon Rolls

3 1/4 tsp dry yeast (I use dry active yeast so only need half the amount)

1/4 cup warm water

1/2 cup shortening (I use room temp butter)

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp salt

1 cup of milk

1 egg

4-5 cups of sifted plain flour

Very room temp butter (quite a bit)

Brown sugar (as much as you want)

Cinnamon (I love it so use plenty)

Raisins (optional, I don't use them)

Vanilla Icing

2 cups icing sugar

1 tblsp melted butter (doesn't sound like much but boy is it tasty!)

1 tsp vanilla extract (you must invest if you don't have it)

Milk 2-4 tblsp

This recipe is tricky so practice before you unleash it on your victims ..... uh, I mean punters!

Add the warm water to the yeast & soak for 10 mins.

Scald the milk (heat in a pan til bubbles appear at the sides) & add it to the shortening/butter.

Add sugar & salt & allow to cool to tepid. Add the dissolved yeast & beaten egg.

Add 4 cups of flour, 1 at a time, stirring well before the next one is added.

The recipe says the dough should be soft yet firm enough to handle. Mine however, is always sticky at this point so I add a handful of flour & make sure my board/worktop is well floured.

Knead until elastic & smooth. There is a fine line between too much flour & enough flour so be careful. I always get stressed here but try not to. Pour yourself a glass of something naughty, you deserve it!!

Turn the dough into a well oiled bowl (I use ground nut oil as it has very little flavour). Let it rise for 1 1/2 hours. Time to catch up with Sky+.

If this is your first time divide your dough in half as it's easier to work with.

Flour/icing sugar your work surface again & roll out the dough into a rectangle.

Slather it with the butter all over (I love this bit). Then layer a generous amount of brown sugar (all the way to the edges) & then a layer of cinnamon. Add the raisins if you're using them.

Roll it up. Cut into pieces depending on how big you want them (2-3 inches?)

Repeat with your other bit of dough.

Place slices in a greased pan. If using a round one, put a roll in the centre then the others around it. If using a square one just place them in rows. Don't overpack them. Preheat your oven. Let the rolls rise til they fill the pan (about an hour).

Bake in a 350F/180c/gas4 oven for 15-20 mins. Cover with foil if getting too brown. Don't overbake.

Frosting: Mix all ingredients except milk together. Add the milk very slowly, you are looking for a really(!) thick paste.

Spread the rolls with the frosting while they are hot. It will sink in & be all lovely, gooey & shiny.

Eat when you want, warm, cold whatever!

Don't worry about the calories, you've worked so hard in that kitchen of yours - you are just putting back what you've worked off!

PS See this recipe for how to become really popular at work.

I faced my fear & made ... Meatloaf!

When I was younger I wanted to eat food like I saw in films. They always looked like they were eating far better than me. So I asked my mother to make meatloaf.

She did & put it in the fridge til later. I was an inquisitive child. I couldn't resist a peak .... and a poke.

I plunged my finger into the goo & my finger was immediately engulfed in blood .......... BLOOD!!! I dry heaved. I didn't eat the meatloaf. In fact I didn't eat red meat for years after that.

So, you can imagine how nervous I was making the stuff. I mean I couldn't avoid it, it's as American as apple pie (ooooo I'll enjoy that one!!).

I waited til this weekend as the boss was away & I had time to myself. Time to prepare & definitely NOT to poke before cooking.

So here's the recipe (from allaboutmeatloaf.com):

1lb ground beef (I used lean mince)

1/2 cup of onion ( I used red)

1/2 cup of breadcrumbs

1/4 cup of stock (I used chicken)

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

4 oz tomato puree

Mix all ingredients together. Looks good doesn't it !?!

I bought those silver takeaway trays. If you get the long ones you will get 1 -2. If you get the ones that are more square you'll probably get 3. I put 1 in the fridge the rest in the freezer.

Before I cooked the meatloaf I made holes in the bottom of the tray for the fat to run away. I placed it on a rack on top of a baking tray & cooked it for 30 mins on a preheated 180c/350f oven - no lid!!

Guess what ............ it was lovely! I ate half of it last night with braised red cabbage & green beans & just polished the rest of for my lunch.

So don't be scared .... give meatloaf a go!!