Choc Chip Cookies and Nest Cakes

This is my favourite choc chip cookie recipe and is very easy, perfect for Kids. You can vary it by adding some nuts instead of choc chips or combine the two. To make these cookies ‘eastery’ I put a mini egg on top of each dollop of mixture, not a total success as you can see some of these cracked.

Also included is a photo of some Easter cup cakes I made this week. They are iced to look (loosely) like nests complete with mini eggs, but here the piece de resistance(s) are the very kitsch wire chicks that I remembered from my childhood and couldn’t resist buying in a pound shop.

Choc Chip Cookies - makes 16-20

125g / 4oz Butter or Marg

50g / 2oz soft brown sugar or golden caster

1 egg beaten

150g / 5oz Self raising flour

175g / 6oz plain chocolate chopped or chocolate drops (I find that 100g of chocolate drops and 50g of nuts like hazel nuts is enough)

Instructions

Heat the oven to 180^oC and grease two baking sheets

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy

Beat in the egg

Sift in the flour and mix

Add the chocolate chips and nuts if using

Put teaspoons of the mixture well spaced on the baking sheets and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden.

Carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool, they are a little fragile warm but will firm up as they cool.

Devil’s Food Cake

This is my second favourite chocolate cake recipe.  It is less complicated than the "best ever" one, but still very chocolatey. There is quite a lot of cocoa powder in it which makes it a really dark earthy chocolate colour and the texture is quite springy. The lack of density means it is isn’t ideally suited for cutting into novelty cakes but it does make good cupcakes. I realised when I looked at my cook book that I have been making this recipe for 20 years so it must be a good one.

The original recipe

50g / 2 oz                            Cocoa Powder

200ml / 1/3 pint                 Boiling Water

175g / 6oz                           Plain Flour

¼ teaspoon                         Baking Powder

1 teaspoon                          Bicarbonate of Soda

125g / 4 oz                          Butter (or Marg at a push)

300g / 10 oz                        Caster Sugar (Golden is good)

2                                          Eggs, beaten

Makes one 20cm / 8 inch sandwich cake or 24 cupcakes (small paper cases not muffin cases)

Cook at 180 ^oC  45-50 mins for cake ~20-25 mins for cupcakes but check after 15 mins

Instructions

1.       Blend Cocoa with ½ the water then stir in the rest and leave to cool

2.       Sift flour, baking powder and Bicarb

3.       Cream butter, sugar and 3 tblesp of cocoa  & water until light and fluffy

4.       Beat in eggs to butter and sugar

5.       Fold in flour and cocoa alternately, don’t worry if it curdles

6.       Divide into 2 lined sandwich tins or 24 small paper cases

7.       It is done when a skewer comes out clean, but leave in the tins to cool for about 5 mins as it is a bit fragile when hot.

Easy Chocolate Cake Recipe

As an antidote to my favourite but slightly complicated cake recipe, I was sent this easy chocolate cake recipe. I tried it and it is easy (only 3 steps) and tastes nice. I made it into cupcakes and tried to put all the mixture into 12 cupcake cases which was too much, I estimate it will make 15-18 cupcakes.  My only objection is that I don’t often have crème fraiche in the fridge, but that is quite a small quibble. See what you think.

The decoration was for my brother-in-law who is addicted to tea and also likes this MoPed! song 

Ingredients:
    * 8 oz self-raising flour, sieved
    * 3 tbsp cocoa
    * ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
    * 6 oz caster sugar
    * 3 eggs
    * 150ml crème fraiche
    * 150ml sunflower oil
    * 3 tbsp golden syrup

Method:
Tip the dry ingredients into a bowl or food processor and mix to combine.

In a jug, whisk the eggs until pale, then add the crème fraiche, sunflower oil, and golden syrup. Whisk together thoroughly, then tip the mixture into the dry ingredients and beat or blend to combine.

Pour the batter into a 2 greased 8” round tin, and bake at 140 degrees C, for 40 mins-1 hour. Cool on a wire rack.