Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

I love soft, squidgy cookies, especially when they have peanut butter in them. This recipe is from the Hummingbird Bakery cookbook.

For about 30 cookies you need
225g softened butter
200g soft brown sugar
200g caster sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
240g crunchy peanut butter
340g plain flour
2.5 tsp bicarb
75g chocolate chips

Begin by creaming the butter and both sugars together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add the vanilla and peanut butter. Once these are combined add the flour and bicarb and mix until a soft dough forms. Mix in the chocolate chips.

Place dessertspoon mounds onto a lined baking sheet, ensuring they are well spread out. Bake in a 170 degree oven for about 10 mins until cooked and lightly browned.

Leave to cool for a few mins before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Delicious with a glass of milk or a bowl of vanilla ice cream.

Chocolate Cointreau Torte aka orgasm on a plate

This is the recipe you need to make when you want something simple to make but drop dead gorgeous in yer mouth. It's ridiculously simple to make but it tastes amazing. It's based on St Delia's Chocolate truffle torte.

For 10-12 portions you need
300g plain chocolate
150g milk chocolate
600ml double cream
75ml liquid glucose
75ml cointreau
100g amaretti biscuits, crushed

Begin by melting the chocolates and glucose together in a bain marie. Leave to cool for 5 mins.

Whip the cream to floppy, no more. If you go to soft peaks the torte will be too difficult to mix and loose the wonderfully soft texture you want.

Line a 23cm springform tin with baking paper and oil the base and sides. Sprinkle over the biscuit crumbs.

Once the cream is whipped, mix half of it into the chocolate, then mix in the rest of the cream. Mix thoroughly then scrape into the tin. Cover and chill for at least 2-3 hours. Best served with fresh fruit or lashings and lashings of single cream.

"Millie's" Cookies (soft squidgy cookies)

These cookies are ridiculously easy to make but they taste AMAZING. You can alter the additions with whatever you fancy or have to hand. I am in use up my store cupboards before we move mode at the moment so we had macadamia nut, cranberries and white chocolate and plain chocolate chip for the boy who refused the extra addition of ginger or apricots, boo.

The recipe is adapted from this one.

For about 36 cookies you need
250g butter, softened
250g caster sugar
200g soft light brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla bean paste
450g self raising flour
2 eggs

For the macadamia, cranberry and white chocolate cookies you also need
75g chopped macadamia nuts
75g dried cranberries
100g white chocolate chunks

For the plain chocolate chip cookies you also need
100g plain chocolate chips

Begin by creaming the butter and sugars in a free standing mixer for 3-4 mins until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and eggs and mix thoroughly. Add the flour and mix well.

If you're making just one sort of cookie then add your chosen additions to the dough and work in thoroughly. If, like me, you wanted to do more than one sort simply halve the dough and add your ingredients to each bowl, mixing well.

Onto lined baking sheets, place spoonfuls of the dough, well spaced apart. You don't need to squish them down as they'll do this naturally as they cook.

Bake at 175 degrees for 10 mins until they are starting to go a light brown colour. Leave to cool for 2-3 mins on the tray before attempting to remove as they will be VERY soft. Leave to cool for a further 5 mins or so then try not to eat an entire batch in one afternoon. They freeze well and retain their chewiness upon defrosting. Nomtastic.

Salted Caramel Shortbread Slice aka Millionaire's Shortbread

This is to die for. Literally. Scroll down the list of ingredients and you'll see why. But don't let that put you off. In the immortal words of Masterchef's Greg Wallace it's got the perfect buttery, biscuity base topped with oozing salted caramel and then a thick layer of slightly bitter chocolate. An orgasm on a plate if you will. What's not to like... Adapted from Nigella's Roxanne's Millionaires Shortbread in Domestic Goddess.

For 24 pieces you need
225g plain flour
75g fairtrade caster sugar
375g unsalted butter
397g can sweetened condensed milk
4 tablespoons golden syrup
250g fairtrade plain chocolate
2 tsp salt, preferably something flaky like Maldon

Begin by making the shortbread. Place the flour, sugar and 175g of butter in a food processor and blitz till it turns into sandy rubble. If you don't have a food processor you can do this by hand by rubbing the fat into the flour and sugar.

Tip the sandy mixture into a lined 23x23cm tin and press down. Bake in a 160 degree oven for 35-40 mins. You want a crisp, golden brown bottom so take care not to have the oven too hot or it will brown before it cooks through.

Meanwhile make the salted caramel by placing the remaining 200g butter into a pan with the condensed milk and golden syrup. I learnt previously when I made this that using a cheap pan separates the butter fat out and splits the caramel. This is NOT a good thing. I managed to resolve it by beating the caramel in the pan submerged in a washing up bowl of cold water but it's tricky so I recommend using a pan with a deep a base as possible (a Le Creuset is brilliant but admittedly perhaps too middle class for this...). Anyways. Melt the butter into the condensed milk and syrup and then bring to the boil stirring constantly until it's thickened and a light golden brown in colour. This will take about 20-25 minutes and can't be rushed. To ensure you don't let it catch you need to take it slow and steady, stirring all the time. Beat in 1 tsp of the salt and leave to cool.

The shortbread should be baked by now, and if it is, remove from the oven and leave to cool for 15-20 mins before pouring the likewise cooled caramel over the top. Tilt the tin to coat the base properly then sprinkle over the remaining 1 tsp of salt. Leave to cool while you melt the chocolate.

Melt the chocolate in a bain marie/bowl over a pan of water. I like to use 75% plain and 25% milk chocolate on mine, but do as you wish. Once the chocolate has melted, pour over the caramel, again ensuring it's covered properly and leave until fully set. This means overnight unless you cheat like me and put it in the fridge.

Cut into squares and scoff. Yum. Yum. Yum.

Banana Chocolate Chip Shortbread Bars (v)

This recipe is adapted from Mary Berry's Baking Bible. It's dead simple, very yummy and makes cooked banana taste nice (I usually can't stand it cooked in anything unless it's well and truly mushed up). It's a bit crumbly and liable to disintegrate round the edges but it's perfect with a morning coffee and is a reasonably healthy energy boost.

For about 8 bars you need
75g wholemeal flour
11/4 tsp baking powder
75g demerara sugar
75g porridge oats
100g vegan spread or butter if you're not vegan
1 banana, sliced into 5mm slices
25g plain chocolate chips

Blitz everything apart from the chocolate chips in a food processor until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Line a 2lb loaf tin and put half the shortbread mix in the bottom. Press down. Lay the banana slices on top and then cover with the remaining shortbread. Press down firmly and scatter over the chocolate. Bake in a 180 degree oven for about 25 mins. Leave to cool and then carefully slice and scoff.

Celebration Chocolate Cake

This cake has done the rounds on an internet forum I am a member of, and I book marked it as one to make to welcome Lex home after he'd spent the summer with his dad this year. It looks impressive but is actually a doddle to make and decorate, and any kid (or adult for that matter!!) that sees it can't resist breaking out into a huge grin. You can put whatever you want round the sides and on the top. I was under strict orders from the boy with what I included but let your imagination run wild!

Our cake is a chocolate orange marble cake with chocolate orange buttercream icing and milk and orange chocolate kitkats. For other flavours, amend the recipes below to suit your tastes :)

For 8-12 slices you need
Orange cake batter
3 eggs
zest and juice of one orange
6oz self raising flour
6oz caster sugar
6oz vitalite

Chocolate orange cake batter
3 eggs
zest and juice of one orange
4oz self raising flour
2oz cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
6oz caster sugar
6oz vitalite

Chocolate Orange Buttercream Icing
225g vitalite
475g icing sugar
50g cocoa powder
zest of one orange

To Decorate
1 pack of 8 x 2 finger orange kitkats
1 pack of 8 x 2 finger milk chocolate kitkats
1 packet peanut M&Ms
1 packet yorkie chocolate drops
Jelly stars
Edible silver stars

You will also need
A ribbon to decorate
2 x 8 inch round cake tins, lined and greased
Cake stand or plate

Begin by making the cake batters. In separate bowls cream together the vitalite and sugar, beating for 10 mins until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, alternating with the flour or flour and cocoa mixture. Finally add the zest and juice and thoroughly incorporate.

Dollop spoonfuls of each mixture across both tins, and once all the batter is in, swirl to mix lightly for the marbled effect.

Bake at 170 degrees for about 25-30 mins until the cakes are well risen, starting to shrink away from the sides of the tin and fully cooked. Leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes before turning out onto a cake rack to finish cooling completely.

Beat the icing ingredients together for 10 mins until light and fluffy. Use to sandwich the cakes together and then cover the outside of both cakes with a good layer of icing. Once you have done this, start to stick your kitkats (or chocolate finger biscuits or whatever else you have chosen!) to the outside.

Then add your decoration of choice. Some people like to just cover with maltesers or other sweets, but my cakes were very deep, and there wasn't a lot of overspill room above the kitkats so I used giant chocolate buttons and then filled the inside with other sweets.

Finally, tie the ribbon around the outside of the cake (this helps to ensure the kitkats don't fall off as well as giving an extra wow factor ;-)) and scoff. I recommend palming the children off on to grandparents once the sugar rush hits mwahahahaha!

Easter / Ishtar Chocolate Egg Nests (v)

Easter isn't Ishtar without these nests. I prefer to use a base of butter, golden syrup and drinking chocolate/cocoa for the chocolate rather than melting chocolate as they remain softer and nicer to eat that way. This is a great recipe to get the kids to do, or to make to bring back memories of the last day of school!

For 10-12 nests you need
6 shredded wheat, crushed
100g butter or vegan spread
4 tbsp golden syrup
4 tbsp drinking chocolate or cocoa powder
Chocolate eggs to decorate
Paper muffin cases

Melt the butter, golden syrup and drinking chocolate in a pan gently. Mix into the crushed shredded wheat and then spoon into cases. Leave an indentation in the middle for the eggs to nestle in to. Top with eggs and leave for an hour or so to set. Yummy!

Cadbury's Creme Egg Brownies

A brownie adorned with a cadbury's creme egg showed up in my newsfeed on Facebook earlier in the week, so I decided to treat us to some for Easter. I've used mini creme eggs as the large ones would have made them too sickly (imho!). The brownie recipe I have used is my tried and tested adaptation of the Hummingbird Bakery's plain chocolate brownie which is chewy and moist and delicious. Enjoy!

For 12 portions you need
200g good quality plain chocolate
125g butter
150g plain flour
325g caster sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 mini cadbury's creme eggs

Melt the chocolate and butter. Once melted and cooled slightly, mix in the other ingredients. Pour the batter into a lined swiss roll tin and bake at 160 degrees for about 15 mins. 

Carefully cut the eggs in half, but don't worry too much if they break a bit. After 15 mins, take the brownies out of the oven and push the halves of eggs into the semi cooked batter. Place them back in the oven for a further 15 mins to finish cooking. 

Leave to cool for 10 min before removing from the baking tin and slicing into generous squares. Happy Ishtar!

Black and White Chocolate Cookie Ice Cream Snadwiches

This pic got rather a lot of likes on instagr.am the other day, proper food porn! And utterly delicious to eat too, if a tad messy! Making the cookies with vitalite not only makes them easier as you don't need to remember to leave the butter out or faff about softening it if you forget; but it also gives them a better texture. Contrasting the dark bitter chocolate with the white sweet chocolate works really well. I prefer the two flavours to adding in milk chocolate too for triple chocolate cookies. This recipe is adapted from Nigella Lawson's totally chocolate chocolate chip cookies from Nigella Express.

For about 20 cookies, depending on size, you need

125g dark chocolate

150g plain flour

30g cocoa powder

1tsp bicarb

½ tsp salt

125g vitalite

75g soft light brown sugar

50g white sugar

1tsp vanilla extract

1 egg

350g white chocolate chunks or chocolate cut into chunks

Ice cream of your choice to serve.

Melt the dark chocolate in a bain marie and leave to cool slightly.

Beat the sugars and vitalite in a free standing mixer until light and fluffy. Then add everything else, mixing thoroughly.

Place teaspoon sized blobs onto a lined baking tray. You should be able to get 9-12 cookies on a normal sized tray and they don't spread that much whilst cooking. 

Cook in a moderate (170 degree) oven for 10 mins until cooked but not browned. Leave to cool on the tray for a few mins. If you try and move them too soon they will break but they will harden upon cooling. 

Sandwich your favourite ice cream in the middle and scoff. Nomtastic!

Nigella's Malteser Cake

I've never made this cake before, despite lots of people raving about it. So when Fuz turned 40 a few weeks ago I dug out Feast and made it for him and his family. I can't say I liked it that much, the cake is quite chewy and chocolate cake is my least favourite type of cake, but I did like the malteser flavoured icing and everyone else loved it... It's such a simple cake to make, and the decoration takes no time at all so you can pass it off as something you have slaved over when in reality it's taken you five minutes. Result!

For a cake that serves 8-10 you need
Cake
150g soft brown sugar
100g caster sugar
3 large eggs
175ml milk
15g butter
2 tablespoons Horlicks powder
175g plain flour
25g cocoa, sieved
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda


For the icing and decoration
250g icing sugar
1 teaspoon cocoa
45g Horlicks
125g vegan spread
3 tbsp raspberry jam
2 x 37g packets Maltesers


Beat the sugars and eggs together in a free standing mixer for 10 mins until light and fluffy. Meanwhile heat the milk, butter and horlicks in a pan until just below boiling. Carefully pour this mixture into the eggs and sugar and mix thoroughly. Add everything else and then pour into two lined cake tins.

Bake in a moderate (170 degree) oven until risen and springy (about 20-30 mins). Take care not to over bake or the cake will be too chewy.

Leave to cook on a wire rack and make the icing.

In a free standing mixer, beat together everything apart from the jam and maltesters. Once the cake is cooled, spread 1/3 of the icing on one cake and top with the jam. Sandwich the second cake on top and then decorate with the remaining icing and maltesers. For a special cake for my son I used marshmallows and a crumbled crunchie bar on top as he prefers those to maltesters.

Tiger Striped Chocolate and Vanilla Marble Cake

Lex requested marble cake for his lunch box last week and I'd been meaning to try out a tiger cake following the recent craze for them created by Lorraine Pascale. So I used her method for creating the stripes in my own normal victoria sponge cake base. It worked really well but I have to say was a right faff and took forever to splodge into the tin. The things mums do to make their children happy eh ;-)

For one cake that serves 8-10 people you need
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract, added to the egg jug for easier mixing
8oz self raising flour
8oz caster sugar
8oz vegan spread (e.g. vitalite)
1-2 tbsp soya milk
2 tbsp cocoa powder mixed with 1 tbsp boiling water

Make the cake base the usual way: place the spread and sugar into a free standing mixer with a paddle attachment and mix on high for 10 mins until pale, light and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs and flour on slow speed.

Once the batter is made, divide into two bowls. Add the cocoa powder liquid to one bowl and mix thoroughly. Add enough milk to the vanilla bowl to make the batter the same consistency as the chocolate batter.

In a greased 20cm cake tin, place alternating spoonfuls of the batters into the middle. Start with vanilla, then place a spoonful of the chocolate batter directly on top of the splodge of vanilla batter. Keep repeating and the batter will start to spread out into the tin. It is this process which gives the cake its stripes. It will take 10 mins or so to carefully and patiently use up all the mix. It is vital the batters are the same consistency or one will spread too much and the other will be too thick.

Once all the batter is in the tin (and congratulations if you did it properly and didn't give up at the end like me and lob spoonfuls anywhere in the tin towards the end ;-) bake in a moderate (160 degree) oven for 30-45 mins until the cake is risen and cooked. Leave to cool and then slice and marvel at the petty pwatterns on the inside of the cake.

Chocolate Christmas Trifle

I used to be able to make lovely trifles, but my trifle mojo has been usurped by my boyfriend's mum who makes a very mean one indeed. So much so Lex requested I didn't make another for fear that it didn't live up to one of hers...! However, this creation puts my mojo firmly back in contention I am pleased to say. It started as a way to use up some (embarrassingly) out of date sponge flan cases. But upon further inspection they were rock solid. So a chocolate swiss roll was purchased and the chocolate Christmas trifle extravaganza was born. It has the perfect combination of sour raspberries and strawberries to counter the sweet jelly and not-too-sweet chocolate custard. Decorate as you wish, we wanted sparkly poo so had a heavy hand with the festive glitter ;-)

For 12-14 portions you need
1/2 chocolate swiss roll
1 tin strawberries, drained
1/2 pack frozen raspberries
1 packet halal jelly (or any other veggie jelly)
2 tbsp sweet sherry
2 tins ready to eat custard
2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp boiling water
450ml double cream
decoration of your choice, we used chocolate vermicelli; glitter and stars for extra bliiiiiiiiiing

Slice the swiss roll into 1cm slices. Place these in the bottom of a trifle dish and cover with the sherry, raspberries and strawberries. Make the jelly up according to the packet instructions and pour over the base. Leave to set.

Meanwhile mix the cocoa powder with the boiling water to make a smooth paste. Add to the custard and mix well. Once the jelly is set, pour over.

Whip the cream to soft peak stage and put into a piping bag. Pipe over the custard and then go wild with the decoration. Eat, eat and be merry!

Festive Flapjacks

So called because the festive season calls for an added layer of luxury in terms of ingredients, and I CBA to melt two different types of chocolate to decorate them at any other time of the year ;-) Beware, these flapjacks are addictive and FULL OF CALORIES! But that's why they taste so good ;-)

For 12-16 bars you need
(sorry can only remember this recipe in imperial measurements!)
6oz butter
6oz sugar
2 tbsp golden syrup
10oz rolled oats (not cheap ones, proper scottish decent ones but not jumbo ones)
1/4 cup sultanas
1/4 glace cherries
100g each milk and white chocolate, melted

Begin by placing everything apart from the oats and chocolate in a large pan and letting the butter melt. Meanwhile, line a swiss roll tin with baking paper. Once the butter et al is melted, add the oats and mix well. Press into the lined tin and bake in a moderate (180 degree) oven for 15-20 mins until bubbling and golden brown. Take care not to overbake or the edges and sides will become brittle and too crunchy when it's cooled.

Remove from the oven once cooked and leave to cool for 30 mins or so before sliding out of the tin. Leave on the baking paper to cool totally. Drizzle/spread over the melted chocolate in any pattern you like and then cut into bars once the chocolate has set. Deeeelishous!!!

Double Chocolate Banana Cake (v)

This is an adaptation of Nigella's banana bread from her Domestic Goddess book. I got so sick of making the plain banana cake as although lots of my friends and family liked it, I wasn't that keen (unless I was eating the raw batter!). However, the addition of chocolate to it makes it utterly delicious. Why I haven't made this one before is beyond me, but I have now, and so must you :)

For 2 x 2lb loaf cakes you need
6 very ripe bananas, mashed to a puree
25g cocoa powder
100g sultanas
75ml southern comfort (or other booze of your choice)
150g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp bicarb
100ml sunflower oil
150g caster sugar
100g plain chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preferably soak the sultanas in the booze overnight, but if you're short of time, place in a saucepan and heat gently then leave to speed soak for 15-30 mins.

Mix everything together and scrape into two lined loaf tins. Bake in a moderate (170 degree) oven for 45-60 mins until the cakes are risen and a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool. Eat with copious cups of tea.

Nigella's Nutella Cheesecake

Yeah. I know. Another recipe from *her*. I'm sorry. I can't deny it. I do like her recipes. They work. They're easy. And I like them... This is adapted from the original (p175 of Nigellissima) as I didn't have any digestives, and not quite enough nutella. But OH MY GOD it tastes amazeballs. I am the size of a house now. Send help...

For 12 portions you need
600g cream cheese
400g nutella
250g gingernut biscuits
75g soft butter
60g icing sugar
toasted chopped hazlenuts to serve (optional)

Begin by pulverising the biscuits and butter in a food processor until they are well combined. Turn out into a silicone cake mould and press down.

Put the cream cheese and icing sugar into a free standing mixer and mix, slowly, until combined. Add the nutella and mix well. Pour into the cake mould and leave to stand in the fridge for at least 2 hours (I didn't hence it oozing in the picture...).

Carefully remove each slice and sprinkle with hazlenuts if you want them. Scoff. Resist the temptation to eat more than you really should you your belly will feel like mine. But oh my it's worth it!!

Nigella's Olive Oil and Almond Chocolate Cake (GF)

I got Nigellissima earlier in the week (think I might have already mentioned that...) and saw this in it as I was idly flicking through the pages. So I made it. It's d-i-v-i-n-e. Moist. Sticky. Gooey. So very very chocolatey. Utterly delicious in other words. Make it, you won't be disappointed.

For 8 greedy slices you need
For the cake
150ml olive oil
50g cocoa powder
125ml boiling water
2 tsp vanilla
150g ground almonds
1/2 tsp gluten free baking power *or* 1/4 tsp bicarb of soda and 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
pinch of salt
200g caster sugar
3 eggs

For the icing you need
75g vegan spread
150g icing sugar
25g cocoa powder

Begin by mixing the boiling water into the cocoa powder till it's smooth. Add the vanilla to it and leave to cool.

Place the eggs, oil and sugar in to the bowl of a free standing mixer and beat on full for three minutes until fluffy and thickened.

Slowly drizzle in the cocoa mixture. Once this is added, add in everything else and mix gently to a smooth batter (it will be very wet, don't worry).

Scrape into a silicone baking mould and bake in a moderate (170 degree) oven for about 45 mins. The outside should be cooked through and the middle moist when it's done. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. Turn onto a wire rack once cool enough to handle.

Whip the vegan spread, icing sugar and cocoa together until light, fluffy and creamy. Spread on to the top and sides of the cooled cake and finish with a dusting of cocoa powder. Enjoy!

Becka's Bestest Ever Rocky Road

This went down a storm on the stall last week, and with good reason. It's the best recipe yet for rocky road I have been able to concoct. It's loosely based on Nigella's Rocky Road Crunch Bars but I have played about with the recipe after repeated makings (it's a hard life being a baker ;-)) and adjusted quantities and added in more yummy things. Hers are OK but imho they are a bit two dimensional and nowhere near as yummy as mine. Strong words, but try this and I promise you won't be disappointed!

For 12 bars you need:
150g milk chocolate
150g dark chocolate (70% or above)
125g butter
3 tbsp golden syrup
100g rich tea biscuits, crushed a bit
100g rice crispies
100g whole glace cherries
100g marshmallows

Melt the butter, chocolate and golden syrup together in a double boiler (bowl over a pan of water). Once melted, add everything else and mix well. Turn out into a lined tray bake tin and smooth other. Leave to cool before cutting into squares and lamenting again about the size of your waistline.

Death by Chocolate Cake

This is another Mary Berry recipe from her awesome Baking Bible book (p95). It was made for my boyfriend's birthday cake, but I had some spare batter left over as my tins were a bit too small. Shame. So I baked it and Lex and I scoffed. It's also national chocolate cake day today, so what better reason do you need :)

For one 20cm/8" cake or lots of small ones you need:
Cake
275g self raising flour
3 tbsp cocoa powder
11/2 tsp bicarb
215g vanilla caster sugar
3 tbsp golden syrup
3 large eggs, beaten
225ml sunflower oil
225ml soya milk

Icing
450g plain chocolate
200g butter

Combine everything together in a large bowl and mix thoroughly to ensure no lumps or tell tale white bits that Mary and Paul would chastise you over. Pour into lined tins and bake at 160 degrees for about 30 mins till risen and cooked. Obviously adjust the time downwards if making mini cakes. But you know that. Leave to cool slightly then turn out of the tins and leave to cool completely.

For the icing, melt the chocolate and once this is done, add the butter and leave to melt. Allow to thicken slightly before using or it will run everywhere. Smother cooled cakes in icing, top with chocolate sprinkles and finish with gold spray for extra sparkle. Receive undying love and gratitude from all who consume.

Mary Berry's Chocolate Chip Cookies

I am in the throes of moving, so when I came across a recipe that used a can of condensed milk I thought to myself "a-ha!" as I always have some of this in the cupboard. And in the cupboard it sits. Lonely. Sad. Unloved. As I never know what to do with it, other than open the can, scoff it with a spoon and then feel really _really_ sick. My bro gave me Mary Berry's Baking Bible for my Xmas pressie and this recipe can be found in there. They're a cinch to make, and they freeze well too :) I have adapted the recipe slightly by using 100g white chocolate chips as I like the contrast of white with plain chocolate and they're sold in bags of 100g so why not chuck in the extra 35g I ask you....

For about 24-32 cookies (depending on how big yer gob is...) you need:
397g tin of condensed milk
50g butter
200g plain chocolate
225g self raising flour
100g white chocolate chips

Melt the butter and chocolate. Leave to cool slightly. Mix in everything else and then leave to chill until stiffened (this only takes 15 mins or so and it doesn't need to go in the fridge).

Pinch out quantities about the size of a walnut and roll into balls. Flatten slightly on to the baking sheet, leaving space for them to spread. I easily got 9 onto each baking sheet. Bake at 160 degrees for about 12 mins. Leave to cool slightly then transfer to a cooling rack.

White Chocolate and Vanilla Cupcakes

I like making cupcakes. I like the different flavour combinations, I like the decorating but most of all I like the buttercream. Billowingly soft and sweet deliciousness. Yum yum yum. These cupcakes are a basic vanilla cupcake with the addition of white chocolate chips in them for an extra level of flavour and texture.

For 12-18 cupcakes you need:
Cakes
6oz vitalite
6oz vanilla sugar
6oz self raising flour
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
150g white chocolate chips

Icing
200g icing sugar
100g softened butter
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1-2 tbsp milk

To Decorate
White chocolate buttons
Silver edible spray
White edible glitter

Begin by making the cakes. Cream the vitalite and vanilla sugar together in a free standing mixer for 5-10 mins till light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, with a spoonful of the flour with each to stop if from curdling. Add the rest of the flour along with the milk and vanilla. Mix well. Finally lightly combine the white chocolate chips in to the mixture.

Spoon in to lined muffin/cupcake trays and bake at 170 degrees for 15-20 mins till lightly browned and risen and cooked through. Leave to cool.

Make the buttercream by combining everything together and beating well for at least 10 mins. Pipe on to the cooled cakes and decorate as you wish. Lovely with coffee in the morning or a cup of tea in the afternoon.