Billionaires Shortbread

This is a fabulous recipe from Nigella's How to be a Domestic Goddess and a favourite with all of my friends. I have added a bit of shimmer and bling to make it extra special.

Shortbread

225g plain flour

75g caster sugar

175g unsalted butter

Caramel

200g unsalted butter

397g can sweetened condensed milk

4 tablespoons golden syrup

Topping

325g chocolate (either 70% cocoa plain chocolate or milk chocolate)

1 x 23cm square brownie tin (or similar) greased and lined with greaseproof paper.

Preheat the oven to 170c / gas mark 3

Put the shortbread ingredients in a bowl and rub together between your fingers and thumb

Clump the dough together to form a ball and press the sandy dough into the tin

prick with a fork and bake for 30-40 mins, let it cool in the tin

To make the caramel melt the butter in the microwave (or in a pan on the hob)

Add the condensed milk and golden syrup and wisk together, heat for 6-7 minutes in the microwave until boiling checking and stiring every minute (or alternatively for 10 minutes on the hob stiring continuously). The mixture should be light golden bown and slightly thickened.

Pour over the shortbread and all ow to cool

Melt the chocolate in a bowl in the microwave (or in a bowl over a pan of boiling water) and pour over the cooled caramel.

When the chocolate has set remove from the tin and dust with edible gold dust. Cut into gold bars and sprinkle with gold stars.

Football shirts

If you have an extrodinary amount of time on your hands and a child who is obsessed with football then these are the party cookies for you!

For the cookies (makes 10 football shirts)

150g plain flour
50g caster sugar
100g butter (at room temperature)

Put all the ingredients into the bowl
Rub the mixture between your thumbs, when it looks crumbly, squeeze it together to make a ball of dough
refrigerate for up to 1 hour
preheat your oven 170c, 325f, gas mark 3
Roll out the dough on a floured surface until it is 2cm thick
using a football shirt cookie cutter, cut out 10 shits and place them on a greased baking tray

Bake for 15 -20 mins & thn cool on a wire rack

Decorate using fondant icing and icing tubes (allow a few hours!)

Diamond Jubilee Cupcakes

I was asked to put together a recipe for UK Handmade magazine, which is currently an on line magazine full of wonderful articles, crafts and idea's. I am really happy with the results largely thanks to Bebe Bradley's fabulous photography.

Crusty Cob

For Christmas my husband bought me Paul Hollywood's bread book and a box of ingredients to encourage me to make more bread, so I do and it is a joy.

500g strong white flour
1 tablespoon salt
2 sachets of yeast
40g softened butter
300ml water at room temperature

Put all of the ingredients into a bowl and mix until you have a soft pliable dough
Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead with your fingers and heel of you hand for 5 minutes
Put the dough back in the bowl, cover with a teatowel and rest it for 2 hours (preferably somewhere warm)
Line a baking tray, shape the dough into a ball an place on the baking tray
Leave the dough to rest on the tray fro 1 hour
Preheat the oven 220c / 425f / gas 7
Using a sharp knife slash the dough across the top and dust with flour
Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown, transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool.
Eat

The Best Ever Chocolate Brownies

These Jamie Oliver brownies are absolutly delicious, they are soft and gooey and can be served as a pudding, snack or even as an an alternative to a traditional birthday cake.

250g unsalted butter cubed
200g green & blacks 70% cocoa dark chocolate broken up
80g cocoa powder
65g plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
350g caster sugar (this will seem like loads)
4 large free range eggs

Preheat your oven 180c /350f /gas 4, line a 30cm rectangular baking tray with baking or greaseproof paper.
In a large bowl melt the butter and chocolate over a pan of simmering water until smooth.
In a separate bowl place all of the dry ingredients and add to the melted chocolate mixture.
Stir together well and add the beaten eggs, mix until you have a thick silky consistency.
Tip the mixture in the baking tray and bake in the centre of the oven for aprox 25 mins or until the edges look like and spring back like a cake and the middle still has a bit of wobble.
Once cooled cut into squares and pile them on to plate, decorate with edible glitter, malteasers coated in gold dust and melted white chocolate.