Best Granola EVER

Makes about 1.5kg.

125g butter 

150ml honey

1tsp vanilla extract

500g rolled oats

50g pecans chopped

150g hazelnuts chopped

75g pumpkin seeds, 75g sunflower seeds, 50g golden linseeds (there is a 4 seed mix in tesco, I use half a bag), 

100g desiccated coconut

300g mixed dried fruit ( dates, figs, raisins, sultanas, dried cranberries, chop the larger fruit).

Preheat oven to 170. 

Put butter, honey and vanilla into small saucepan and melt gently. Mix the oats, nuts, seeds and desiccated coconut together in a large bowl. Pour over the melted butter mix and stir really well to make sure all the dry ingredients are evenly coated.

Divide the mixture between 2 large baking trays and spread in an even layer. Bake in the oven for half an hour turning every 5 mins, watch it doesn't burn around the edges.

Remove from oven and leave to cool on trays stirring them every few minutes as it cools.

Once totally cool, transfer into large bowl and stir in choice of dried fruits. Put into airtight container and it will last at room temp for about two months. (it won't last that long 

girly zebra cake

So my niece was 6 yesterday and here is her "girly zebra cake"......

Zebra Cake.....

2 large eggs
1 cup sugar (use American cup sizes)
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
100ml club soda
1/2 cup vegetable oil
{2 tblsp cocoa powder & 1 tblsp hot water}

• whisk 2 eggs in a bowl.  Add in cup of sugar and whisk until smooth and pale in colour.  Whisk in vanilla extract and then the vegetable oil.  Add baking powder into the flour and sieve into egg mixture alternately with the club soda until all whisked in. 
• In separate bowl mix cocoa powder and water to a paste.
• Half the egg mixture and mix the cocoa paste into one half.
• Using disposable piping bags (mix is quite runny) pipe alternately into an 8" oiled lined springform sandwich tin - see photos.
• bake in 170 degree oven for 35 mins, reduce heat to 150 for another 10 minutes.
• Cool on wire tray.

Piping bags at the ready !

 

Oisin's 6th Birthday cake....Volcanic prehistoric island....

My baby turned 6 today and had a great party with all his pals.... we looked at pictures of dinosaur cakes for inspiration and he chose one with a volcano... OK, I thought, I can manage a volcano... so with the help of google and my hubby taking the kids out to play for the day, I managed to get the volcanic dinosaur island made!!!

 Chocolate Fudge cake inside.... Volcanic Prehistoric Island on the outside......

Gingerbread house 2013

Managed to squeeze in Gingerbread house this year again... always seems to be last minute but the boys love decorating it on Christmas Eve..... they did a great job this year my two kitchen helpers/cake decorators....

~AND THE BEST PART??? DEMOLITION......

YUMMY Christmas Tea Time with my gal pals this morning xx

Mocha Cake with Coffee Buttercream frosting and chocolate curls... it was a first time bake and was really tasty with our cuppas.  The coffee buttercream frosting (for all you Irish people) was identical to the superquinn coffee slices icing.... you all know you want one!!! YIKES waistband expanding and still a week to go to the big day!!!

Wellington Squares (posh twix as my Hubby calls them).... CAUSING A STIR !

I fancied making some caramel yesterday and remembered a GREAT wellington square recipe and since posting a picture this morning a few friends have asked for the recipe.. they seemed to cause a stir (scuse the pun, caramel requires lots of stirring.... bad pun hahaha)
Anway, here's my tried and TRUSTED recipe - they freeze pretty well too because believe me you will NEVER eat the whole batch!

Makes (24 decent squares (picture is marked out as 24 - or 48 fingers -they're rich so fingers are nice with a cuppa!)

Shortbread base:
350g self raising flour
225g butter
110g caster sugar

Caramel:
225g caster sugar
225g butter
5 tblsp golden syrup
1 tin (397g) nestle condensed milk

Choc top:
300g good quality choc (milk or dark) I usually use 200g dark and 100g milk (kids prefer that!)

Preheat oven to 180.  Rub butter flour and sugar together until resembles fine breadcrumbs and press FIRMLY and evenly into swiss roll tin (25cm X 38cm X 4cm) - I line with parchment paper so the base doesn't stick when I'm cutting out later.
Bake for 20 mins until golden. 
Caramel: melt butter in a heavy saucepan over a low heat.  Add sugar, golden syrup and condensed milk and stir continuously for 40-50 mins.... (u can make a cuppa to keep you happy while stirring!)p
It will change colour a few times... golden brown when ready but test by dropping a little blob into a bowl of cold water, it should firm up.  Pour over cooled pastry base and allow to cool (overnight is good)... Melt choc over pot of steaming water in a bowl not touching the water and pour over the top, smooth over evenly and allow to set... cut into squares w sharp knife... ENJOY XX