Rich Chocolate Tart

I fancied something chocolaty and rich and I had steered clear of chocolate tarts as I dont like using gluten free pastry! (If anyone has any tips then please share!) So I scoured the internet. I never search for gluten free recipes as I believe that I can change a normal recipe and substitute for gluten free products.

I found a base made of crushed biscuits and butter and another recipe for rich chocolate tart. So I combined the 2. Its similar to a cheesecake base really. The two go together great and you can even add pecan nuts or orange rinde to the base for a special touch.

Rich Chocolate Tart
1 Packet of gluten free biscuits crushed
50g butter melted
400ml Double Cream
400g Dark Chocolate
100g Caster sugar
few drops vanilla extract
50g Butter


Crush the biscuits and add 50g melted butter to them. Press them into the base of a 21" tart tin and place in the fridge to set.

Meanwhile, for the filling, bring the cream, vanilla extract and sugar slowly to the boil in a pan.

Break the chocolate and butter into pieces and place into a large bowl. Pour over the cream mixture and whisk slowly until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.

Pour the chocolate mixture into the tart case and leave to cool. Place in the fridge to set for two hours.

Lemon Sponge cake with Lemon drizzle

Well spring is here and the weather in the UK has been glorious. I have struggled through the winter months, doom and glume with plenty of stodgy chocolate cakes and deserts to keep me going. Now that the weather has finally picked up and the sun is out not only am I growing my tomatoes and peppers but I am making lighter cakes and deserts.

Today I decided to try my hand at a Lemon drizzle cake. It is a gorgeous light sponge and very refreshing. Lovely served with a dollop of whipped cream or warmed with icecream or custard. Give it a try!

Lemon-Syrup Loaf Cake

125g unsalted butter

175g caster sugar

2 large eggs

zest of 1 lemon

175g self raising flour
pinch of salt

4 tablespoons milk

23x13x7cm loaf tin buttered and lined

For the syrup:

juice of 1 and a half lemons

100g icing sugar

For the glaze:

juice of 1/2 a lemon
150g icing sugar

Preheat your oven to 180 C/ gas mark 4.

Butter and line your loaf tin well.

Cream together butter and sugar and add eggs and lemon zest, beating them in well.

Gently fold in the flour and the salt, mixing thoroughly and then add the milk.

Spoon the batter into your prepared tin and bake for 45 mins or until cake tester comes out clean.

For the syrup:

Put the lemon juice and icing sugar into a small saucepan and heat gently until the sugar dissolves.

As soon as cake is out of oven, puncture all over with skewer and pour over the syrup.

Leave cake to cool completely before removing from the tin.

For the glaze:

Combine lemon juice and icing sugar until smooth and white, add a little more icing sugar if needed. Make sure your cake is completely cool before drizzling with the glaze.

Cherry Cola Cupcakes

I have read in many food bloggers blogs and recipe books about using Coca Cola in cake recipes. I heard that it tastes really nice. However I still couldnt bring myself to try this one as I couldnt get my head around how something so sweet and fizzy would make my cakes taste amazing. How wrong I was! I decided this weekend to try it out. It is amazing! I made a cherry frosting to go with it topped with a cola glaze. The coke flavour really comes through in the sponge. I highly recommend trying this one out! Cherry Coke Cupcakes Cupcakes: 200g (7oz) Gluten Free plain flour - sieved 250g (8.8oz) golden caster sugar 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 large egg 125ml buttermilk (or 30g/1oz yogurt mixed with 100ml/3.3 Fluid oz of semi-skimmed milk) 1 teaspoon vanilla essence 125g (4.4oz) unsalted butter 2 tablespoons cocoa powder 175ml (6 fluid oz) Coca-Cola Frosting: 125g unsalted butter 500g icing sugar 50ml milk (more if needed) 1 small slug of syrup from a jar of morello cherries Glaze: 225g (8oz) icing sugar 2 tablespoons butter 3 tablespoons of Coca-Cola 1 tablespoon cocoa powder 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Beat the egg, buttermilk and vanilla in in a measuring jug. In a heavy-based saucepan, melt the butter, cocoa and Coca-cola, heating it gently. Pour into the dry ingredients, stir well with a wooden spoon, and then add the liquid ingredients from the jug, beating until it is well blended. Pour into a muffin tin that has been greased or lined with papers and bake for 15 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. For the frosting put the unsalted butter into an electric mixer and begin to mix on a low speed. Add the icing sugar by the spoonful, adding milk if the frosting becomes too dry. Pour in a little of the cherry syrup and tint the frosting a pale pink. Leave to mix for 5 minutes until light and fluffy. For the glaze sieve the icing sugar and set aside. In a heavy-based saucepan, combine the butter, Coca-Cola and cocoa and stir over a low heat until the butter has melted. Remove from the heat, add the vanilla, and spoon in the sieved icing sugar, beating as you do, until you’ve got a good, spreadable, but still runny, icing. Pour over the frosted cupcakes and allow to dribble do the sides a little. Top with a gummy cola bottle and a cherry.