Half-term bakeathon

I can't believe we are halfway through half-term already and the weather has been awful.  The log burner has been on most days as it's been cold and wet here.  We did have a nice weekend at the start of the holiday but that ended come the Bank Holiday Monday and it's not improved since.  Is it really the end of May?!

As is the norm here, crafting stops during the hols as I don't get five minutes to get anything out before a little voice needs me for something else - how I will cope during the summer hols is beyond me, I shall have withdrawal symptoms for sure!

However, I can get away with baking, and as we still have an abundance of duck and chicken eggs, I've been spending lots of time in the kitchen beavering away on very unhealthy treats!

I firstly made some carrot and banana muffins which the eldest daughter declared were 'amazing'!  As they were a touch on the healthy side, the 4 year old wasn't having any of it, and refused to eat them!  They soon disappeared though!

I've also been making the statutory loaf cakes: lemon drizzle and chocolate and banana, which don't last long!

I thought I would try out some new recipes this week though, using my Jo Pratt madhouse cookbook which my mum brought me for Easter.

It's full of recipes for all occasions, and firstly I tried out the Fudge Cookies.

Again, the youngest of the house wasn't so keen on the fudgey insides, but the rest of us loved them and they were gobbled up in no time!

Today I made two more things from the book, firstly a chocolate, raspberry and coconut torte.

Now I can't say how nice, or not, it is as we haven't tried it yet, but aside from having to separate 6 eggs, it wasn't a difficult recipe to follow.  It's also gluten free.

I'm going to share the next recipe on here as not only is it incredibly simple, but delicious too.  Jo Pratt suggests making these as a gift for teachers and I think she may have something in that idea, wrapped up or in a box, these would make a great treat.

Chocolate Bombs

Ingredients
175g dark chocolate
50g butter
2tbsp golden syrup
150g plain biscuits
150p glace cherries

Method
1.  Melt the chocolate, butter and golden syrup in a heatproof bowl.
2.  Crush the biscuits.
3.  Chop the cherries and add them to the chocolate and 125g of the crushed biscuits.  Put in the fridge to firm up for 30mins-1hour.
4.  Take heaped teaspoons and roll them into little balls.  Roll in the reserved biscuit crumbs to coat evenly.
5.  Eat!  Apparently if stored in a fridge they will last around 2 weeks but I can't see that happening here!

So that's been my half-term.  I now have a sick 6 year old to deal with.  No rest for the wicked!  (And no, she hasn't eaten any of today's baking!!!).

Take care

G x